NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Monday, January 11, that Government of India will bear the cost of vaccinating the 3 crore frontline and healthcare workers. Central government placed the purchase order for Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) at a cost of Rs 210 per dose.
HLL Lifecare Ltd, a Public Sector Undertaking, has issued the order on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHUA). PM Modi in his address to the Chief Ministers of state said that no politician shall jump the queue for COVID-19 vaccine and should take the vaccine according to the turn.
PM Modi also appraised the constant coordination between centre and state and said that it is a matter of great pride that both the vaccines for which emergency use authorisation has been issued are made in India. He added that both these vaccines are also highly cost effective in comparison to other vaccines across the world.