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Updated June 5th, 2021 at 19:37 IST

'Punjab govt making disaster an opportunity': AAP condemns 'vaccine scam'; asks questions

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raghav Chada on Saturday asserted that the Amarinder Singh-led state machinery has committed another 'major vaccine scam'.

Reported by: Sudeshna Singh
AAP
ANI/Unsplash | Image:self
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Reacting to reports of the Punjab government selling government quota of COVID-19 vaccine to private hospitals, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Raghav Chada on Saturday asserted that the Captain Amarinder Singh-led state machinery has committed another 'major vaccine scam'. Addressing the media, the leader asserted that the government was looting crore of rupees from the people of the state in times of trouble, by making 'disaster an opportunity'. 

 Supporting his claims with data, he said, "Punjab government had purchased the state government quota vaccine at the rate of Rs 400 per dose, and embezzled crore of rupees by selling these vaccines to private hospitals at a rate of Rs 1,060 per dose, and further allowed private  hospitals to plunder the people of Punjab financially." 

AAP MLA asks Punjab government 5-questions pertaining to 'vaccination scam'

Having made the claims, Chada asked the government  5-questions pertaining to the 'vaccination scam'. "When Delhi's Arvind Kejriwal government could provide free vaccines to the people of the Union Territory, then why could not the Congress government in Punjab could not get it done for the people?" came his first question. The second question followed thereafter, "Why did the Captain government close down government vaccination centers and allow private hospitals to charge Rs 3,100 for vaccines? He further asked, "Has the money for the vaccine scam been given to the Congress party high command? "When Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu was saying that he had no involvement in the vaccine issue, did the Chief Minister commit the vaccine scam?". 

He then dropped a suggestion for the Congress party-led government, as per which it should divulge to which Congress leader did he give crore of rupees collected through black marketing of free medicines. "The Congress interim national president Sonia Gandhi and party leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and Amarinder Singh should make it clear to the people and the country regarding the vaccine scam in the Congress-ruled state of Punjab," he said. 

Punjab withdraws supply Of COVID vaccines To private hospitals amid backlash

The Punjab government on Friday withdrew its order of providing one time-limited vaccine doses to the 18-44 years age group population through private hospitals and asked private healthcare centers to return all vaccine jabs available with them. 

"The order of providing one-time limited vaccine doses to 18-44 years age group population through private hospital has not been taken in the right spirit and is hereby withdrawn. Further, it has been decided that the private hospitals should return forthwith all the vaccine doses available with them. The doses which they have not utilized as of date should also be returned back, once they get direct supplies from the manufacturers. The amount deposited by the private hospitals in the vaccine fund shall be refunded to them," a notification from the Punjab government read.

Denying any knowledge of the alleged sale of vaccines to private hospitals in Punjab, state health minister BS Sidhu on Friday, said that he had 'no control over vaccines'. Moreover, he ordered a probe into the Oppositions’ allegations that the state government has been “diverting" vaccines to private hospitals. "I have already ordered for a probe and we will order a proper inquiry. We will keep the issue before the chief minister," he said.

As per reports,  COVAXIN doses procured by Punjab govt at Rs. 420 per dose were being sold to multiple private hospitals for Rs.1060 per dose. Vaccines that are being administered free of cost by the state government to people aged between 18 and 44 having co-morbidities,  construction workers, and families of healthcare workers in government vaccination centres, are reportedly being administered at private hospitals at Rs.1560 each. 

(Credit-ANI/Unsplash)

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Published June 5th, 2021 at 19:37 IST

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