Vaccination policy too little, too late

8th June 2021

PM MODI’S VACCINATION POLICY TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE!
CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE’S HEALTH RIGHTS DENOUNCES PM’S DISREGARD FOR THE WORKING MASSES!
DEMANDS APOLOGY FROM CENTRAL GOVT FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF LACS OF PEOPLE!
DEMANDS IMMEDIATE TAKEOVER OF BIG CORPORATE HOSPITALS, AND PHARMA AND VACCINE COMPANIES TO PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY FACILITIES TO THE PEOPLE FREE-OF-COST!

Campaign for People’s Health Rights, a collective platform of various progressive youth, workers’, women’s organizations and other concerned groups strongly denounces the Prime Minister’s announcements made in the immediate aftermath of the worst phase of Covid-19 pandemic. It should be noted that the address by the Prime Minister comes at a time when lacs of people have succumbed and thousands are succumbing daily due to Covid-19 and other comorbidities.

The PM’s strongman image has taken a severe beating and his government’s criminally negligent role became palpably evident during the present crisis. It was more to boost his image, than to offer anything concrete that the PM made his address yesterday.

The PM’s address full of rhetorical superlatives, only boasted of how the government had bravely addressed the whole crisis, by preparing a health infrastructure in a very short while. However, it should be remembered that the pathetic public health infrastructure of our country was exposed during the present crisis, even as the central and state governments tried their best to cover up the whole thing.

Moreover, even the infrastructure for Covid-19 was created by closing health facilities for all other diseases and health conditions, thereby leading to innumerable deaths in the country, simply due to treatment being denied for these diseases and health conditions.

In the address, the PM announced that the state quota of procurement of vaccines would be taken over by the central government. However, the 25% quota of total production earmarked for the private hospitals would remain. This step is too late and too little, as the central government has only acceded to do so, only after its corporate-friendly procurement policy was heavily criticized from all quarters.

Moreover, even now the big, corporate hospitals have been allowed to procure vaccines, when they are already known to charge hefty amounts for vaccinating. Only a half-hearted attempt has been made to curb their rapacity by announcing a cap on their service charges.

It should be noted that the major procurement of vaccines has been by the central government, and even at an allegedly low price of procurement, the vaccine making companies have made such super-profits that the market value of these companies has doubled during the pandemic. Even the other pharma companies have made hefty profits out of public misery. Thus, the procurement of vaccines by the central government is not just not enough, but would only serve to provide huge profits to these pharma and vaccine companies from public exchequer.

The other announcement made by the PM was of provision of rations to the poor till Diwali. It should be noted that despite tall claims of the central government of provision of essentials to the public in the present and last year, the central government has notably failed to provide them relief. Reports abound of common working masses having to starve during the coupled-up phenomenon of pandemic and lockdown.

The rations purportedly distributed to them, have failed to reach them. In effect, the distribution of rations was just a photo-ops exercise by the government, just as the present announcement’s main aim is to make hefty claims instead of providing relief to the people. It is important to note in this context, that despite toiling people’s demand of providing them with Minimum Income during the pandemic, the plea has not been heeded to, and people continue to suffer due to loss of lives and livelihood, while tokenistic photo-ops continue to be the main aim of the government.

Campaign for People’s Health Rights denounces the false claims of the central government and demands that all the big corporate hospitals, and pharma and vaccine companies should be taken over by the government to provide all the necessary medical facilities to the general public free-of-cost. Moreover, not just rations should be ensured to the working masses, but Minimum Income along with epidemic allowance should be ensured to them. The Campaign would step up its initiative to expose the anti-people health policies of the central and state government in the coming days.

1. Chinglen Khumukcham : North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS)
2. Bhim : Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS)
3. Dinesh Kumar : Workers’ Unity Centre, India (WUCI)
4. Harish Gautam : Safai Kamgar Union (SKU)
5. Fatima K. Chaudhary : Centre for Struggling Women (CSW)
6. Ramnath Singh : Blind Workers’ Union (BWU)
7. Aarti Kushwaha : Gharelu Kamgar Union (GKU)
8. Lalit : Anand Parvat Daily Hawkers’ Association (APDHA)
9. Prithviraj : Delhi Metro Commuters’ Association (DMCA)
10. Harish : Ghar Bachao Morcha
11. Dr. Maya John : United Nurses of India (UNI)
12. Vikram : Anaj Mandi Palledar evam Kamgar Sangh

Under the Banner of Campaign for People’s Health Rights
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