Maharashtra to vaccinate citizens free of cost: Nawab Malik

In order to ramp up the coronavirus vaccination drive in the country, the Centre on April 19 announced a "liberalised and accelerated" Phase 3 strategy of COVID-19 vaccination from May 1

Maharashtra government will vaccinate all its citizens free of cost against coronavirus, state Minister Nawab Malik said on Sunday.

Malik said that the move was discussed in the state cabinet. "In the last cabinet, we had discussed that mass vaccination should be there in the state of Maharashtra and free vaccination should be there and yesterday Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar has said that we will vaccinate the entire population of the state above 18 years of age in free of cost."

The Minister further said that the global tenders will be invited for the vaccinations."Definitely, he (Pawar) said the best and cheap medicine which will be provided to us globally we will purchase from them, a global tender will be there in the state of Maharashtra. The process has been started and we are trying our best to procure as earlier as possible to start the mass vaccination in the state."

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 67,160 new coronavirus cases, a little more than the day before when it reported 66,836 cases.

The Centre on April 19 had announced a ''liberalised'' policy, making all above 18 years of age eligible to get vaccinated from May 1. It has also allowed state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from manufacturers.

As per the central government, manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines will be free to supply 50 per cent doses to state governments and in the open market, for which they will have to make an advance declaration of the price before May 1.

India had started the COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16 with two vaccines -- Covishield (Oxford-AstraZeneca's vaccine manufactured by Serum Institute of India) and Covaxin (manufactured by Bharat Biotech Limited).

India commenced its second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination drive to inoculate people above 60 years and those over 45 with comorbidities against the coronavirus from March 1.

The third phase began on April 1 for all above 45 years of age. In the next phase beginning May 1, all above the age of 18 would be eligible to receive the shot.

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