Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “We’ve spoken to Pfizer and Moderna for vaccines, and both the manufacturers have refused to sell vaccines directly to us. They have said they will deal with the central government. We appeal to the centre to import vaccines and distribute to the states,”
He also said that the vaccine makers have made it clear that they will deal with the central government. This development comes amid closure of multiple vaccine centres in Delhi for 18-44 years due to shortage of doses.
Punjab too had said a day earlier that Moderna refused to sell vaccines to the state directly. Amarinder Singh government reportedly reached out to all manufacturers looking to purchase directly.
M Kejriwal on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the supply of vaccine doses for Delhi. He said Delhi requires around 80 lakh doses every month but received only 16 lakh in May. Kejriwal said that the share has been reduced further to 8 lakh doses in June.
“The centre should speak to international vaccine manufacturers, buy from them and distribute to states. States and union territories are fighting with each other,” he said in the letter. The Chief Minister further said that international vaccine manufacturers must be given permission to manufacture in India. He added that countries that have stocked more than required should release some of its vaccines to India.
CM Kejriwal suggested that all vaccine makers in India should be ordered to manufacture Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin with 24 hours to ramp up stocks.
