Vaccine policy: Kerala CM comes in support of Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has supported the proposal of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on a model vaccine policy.

 Writing a letter to Chief Minister Patnaik, Vijayan has thanked him for the prompt and thoughtful response on vaccine procurement and disbursement. 

He has fully agreed with CM Patnaik that it is the Centre which should procure the vaccines, and individual states should be allowed to run the vaccination programme independently.

 It may be mentioned here that Odisha Chief Minister on May 2 had written to all Chief Ministers for unity among states on an ideal procurement policy.

He had also advised States to shun competition over procuring vaccine from manufacturers.

The CM had proposed for a central procurement system by the Govt of India, and give them to states for vaccination.

Vijayan has also sought the cooperation of Odisha CM to face this unprecedented challenge by the pandemic.