Punjab Congress Under Fire Over Decision To Sell Covaxin To Hospitals

Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has alleged doses purchased at Rs 400 were sold to private hospitals for Rs 1,060, and that these were then sold to people at Rs 1,560

Punjab Health Minister BS Sidhu on Friday responded to accusations the state's Congress government has been "diverting" Covid vaccines to private hospitals at "hefty margins".Mr Sidhu told news agency ANI his department does not have "control over vaccines" and also promised an investigation into the claim, with an initial report due this afternoon. .@Akali_Dal_ demands a high court probe into diversion of vaccines to private players at hefty margins to create artificial shortage. Vaccines procured @ Rs 400 /dose sold to private hosp for Rs 1060 and are available to common man at Rs 1560. This is a scam @drharshvardhan.1/4 pic.twitter.com/g8QGqAimcG It is immoral for Punjab govt to profit from sale of #COVIDVaccines. People being punished during a time of economic slowdown. Cong govt has abdicated its resp towards public welfare by corporatizing vaccine distribution. The entire #COVID management exercise stands exposed. 4/4 pic.twitter.com/XJ3ZtFneHu Rahul Gandhi should first look after his (Congress) state rather than giving lectures to others. Punjab govt has been provided more than 1.40 lakh doses of Covaxin at Rs 400 & they've given it to 20 private hospitals at Rs 1000: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar pic.twitter.com/a2y5vmNjlh "I don't have control over vaccines. I just look over treatment, testing, sampling of COVID-19 and vaccination camps. We will definitely set an inquiry... I myself can enquire...," Mr Sidhu said. The Amarinder Singh government - dealing with a possible internal revolt ahead of next year's Assembly election - found itself at the centre of a political storm Thursday after Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal said it had re-sold 40,000 doses of Covaxin at "hefty margins". Mr Badal said the doses had been purchased at Rs 400 per dose and sold to private hospitals for Rs 1,060 per dose - a "profit" of Rs 660 per dose. The hospitals sold it at Rs 1,560 per dose.