Jharkhand govt announces free Covid-19 vaccine for people above 18 years

The governments of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Kerala have also announced that everyone above 18 years of age would be provided with a free Covid-19 vaccine.

A woman receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. (Representational Photo: REUTERS)

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday night said that his government will provide COVID-19 vaccine to people above 18 years of age for free.

Soren’s statement came after the Centre announced a ‘liberalised’ policy making all adults above 18 years of age eligible to get inoculated from May 1 and allowing state governments and private hospitals to purchase vaccines from
manufacturers.

Opposition parties alleged that the policy implies that the central government has abdicated its responsibility
to provide free vaccines to citizens between the age group of 18 and 45 years.

Story continues below this ad

“In Jharkhand, the corona vaccine will be provided free of cost to people above the age of 18 by the state government,” Soren, who heads a coalition government of JMM-Congress-RJD, said in a tweet.

The government is working day and night to help people amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and “I am confident that with
the cooperation of all, we will beat Corona again”.

In order to expand and liberalise the countrywide vaccination drive, the Union Government on April 19 announced
the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy which would come into effect from May 1.

A key feature of the strategy is that the “vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to Government of India and would be free to supply remaining 50 per cent doses
to state governments and in the other than Government of India channel,” the ministry said.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram