Private sector should not decide COVID-19 vaccine price, distribution: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to ldquopick up responsibilityrdquo for the immunisation of the entire nation while questioning its policy of allowing the private sector to decide the prices and distribution reported Live LawJustice Ravindra Bhat said ldquoRs 4500 crore was funded to the organisations for the development of the vaccine Then we also own the productrdquo The Centre has announced an advance of R4500 crore to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech against future supplieslsquoWhy must nation pay croresrsquoldquoThe same manufacturer is saying Rs 150 to you and Rs 300Rs 400 to the states At a bulk level the price difference will be of Rs 30000 to Rs 40000 crore Why must the nation pay this This can be used elsewhere Why canrsquot the Centre get in bulk and then the states have it picked uprdquo Justice Bhat addedldquoWhether the procurement is for the Centre or the states it is ultimately meant for the citizens Why must we not adopt the model of the National Immunisation Programme Why canrsquot the Centre acquire 100 per cent identify the manufacturers and negotiate with them and then distribute to statesrdquo Do not leave the vaccine pricing and distribution to the makers This is equity over public goods You need to pick up the responsibility for thisrdquo said the SCWhile hearing another matter the SC on Friday warned authorities from the Centre down to police chiefs against silencing people and their pleas for help on the presumption that they are raising false grievances on the internetEnsure free flow of infoldquoThere should be free flow of information we should hear voices of citizensrdquo said a bench headed by Justice Chandrachud and comprising Justices Bhat and L Nageswara Rao It asked the Centre states and all DGPs to not take any action against anyone who is posting messages on social media about issues like shortage of oxygen beds or doctors as spreading rumour ldquoIf any action is taken against such posts by citizens in distress we will treat it as contempt of the courtrdquoThe observations assume significance in view the recent decision of the Uttar Pradesh administration to prosecute people under the National Security Act for allegedly raising false alarms on social media The hearing before the SC on the suo motu case for devising national policy for COVID19 management is underwayEC seeks gag order on mediaThe Election Commission on Friday moved the Madras High Court seeking to restrain the media from reporting oral obesrvations of judges made on its role in conducting elections amid the pandemicHC refuses to hear pleaComments of murder charges against ECI officials and the institution being solely responsible for the surge in COVID19 cases had caused great damage and it had tarnished the ECrsquos image its counsel contended But the court refused to entertain the pleaMeanwhile Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday offered his condolences to all those who have lost their dear ones due to lack of treatment and said prayers and sympathies from every state of the country are with themIndia saw 386452 new Coronavirus cases the highest singleday rise so far and 3498 new fatalities in a span of 24 hours according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday morningIndia to import 45L remdesivir vialsThe Centre has placed orders for import of 45 lakh vials of remdesivir with the first consignment of 75000 vials expected to reach Indian shores on Friday Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry said in a statementThe government has started importing the vital drug from other countries to ease its shortage in the country it said18762976Total no of coronavirus cases in India so far208330Total no of deaths due to the virus in India so far15384418Total no of patients Recovered and discharged in India so far152105563Total no of people vaccinated so farThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever