Orissa CM Patnaik Writes to all CM for consensus on centralised procurement of vaccines by GOI

Bhuvneshwar: Orissa CM Naveen Patnaik in a written letter addressed to all his counterparts across the country wrote,” The best way to protect our people against future waves” of COVID-19 is to centrally procure the vaccines and decentralize the execution of the inoculation drive.”

 He recommended that all states come together to form a consensus on the matter in the “true spirit of cooperative federalism” to save life and livelihood.

Citing phase 3 of the Union government’s vaccine policy, CM Patnaik stated that no state is safe unless a collective approach is prioritized and executed on war-footing. According to him, this shouldn’t be a battle amongst states to compete against each other to procure vaccines. 

 “However, it is quite clear that the global vaccine manufacturers are looking forward to the Union Government for the clearances and assurances. They are unwilling to get into a supply contract with the state governments. While the domestic vaccine manufacturers are having supply constraints and are not able to commit required supplies,” the Orissa Chief Minister said. Several states have floated global tenders for supplies he further added. 

 Mr Patnaik’s letter comes days after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to 11 of his non-BJP counterparts, seeking a united effort to press the Centre to procure COVID-19 vaccines and ensure free universal vaccination.