PMC seeks state govt permission to directly purchase vaccines from manufacturers

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sought permission from state government to purchase the Covid-19 vaccines, as it aims to vaccinate all those above the age of 18 years

PUNE The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has sought permission from state government to purchase the Covid-19 vaccines, as it aims to vaccinate all those above the age of 18 years.

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The Centre, on Monday, allowed everyone above the age of 18 to get the jabs from May 1, permitting states to purchase 50 per cent of vaccines directly from manufacturers.

Vaccine manufacturers will also be allowed to sell the vaccine in the open market.

Currently, only citizens above the age of 45 years and who have a comorbid condition, can get the vaccine.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has asked the Maharashtra government for permission to allow it to purchase the vaccines directly from manufacturers.

In Pune, the Serum Institute of India is manufacturing the Oxford-AtraZeneca vaccine, Covishield. The vaccine is mostly being administered in the country.

PMC claims that if the state allows it to purchase the vaccine directly from the firms, it will cover the entire Pune population by the end of July this year.

Ganesh Bidkar, PMC’s leader of the house, said, “We have written a letter to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray and asked the government’s permission to procure the vaccine directly. PMC will bear the cost. Already, PMC has chalked out a plan for a massive vaccination drive.”

On Monday, Pune divisional Commissioner Saurabh Rao had said, the administration has already undertaken “Mission 100 days” to inoculate everyone above the age of 18 by June 15, as the city and rural parts of the region battle a massive spike in the Covid-19 infection.

“With the Centre’s decision and various stakeholders in Pune who are very aggressive, we are hoping to vaccinate all above the age of 18 before 100 days is up. This will be possible with the help of state government and local sponsors,” Rao had said.