SHILLONG, April 30: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday said the state government will require Rs 90 crore plus GST for procuring 30 lakh doses of vaccines to vaccinate 15 lakh people aged 18-45 years.
“It is definitely a challenge to procure the 30 lakh doses of the vaccine due to the limited financial resources. But this is something which needs to be done. We will not compromise on it,” he said.
The government has already asked the pharmaceutical companies to supply the vaccines to the state, he said.
“It will cost the state Rs 90 crore besides GST. But it is an investment that is going to benefit the people and the state at large,” Sangma stated.
He, however, said most states including Meghalaya will not be able to start the vaccination programme for those above 18 years from May 1 due to the shortage of the vaccine throughout the country.
“The registration for the vaccination of the 18+ has started. We will figure out how to fix the appointments and schedule the vaccination drive based on the supply of vaccines to the state,” he said.
Guaranteed quantity
The Chief Minister said the state government has been unofficially guaranteed a certain quantity of vaccines in May despite the shortage in supply. The vaccines will accordingly be rationed and distributed equitably across the state for the vaccination of the 18-plus to start, he added.
“This will not happen in one go, as the drive depends on the supply from different vaccine manufacturers,” Sangma said, pointing out two problems with vaccinating the 18-plus.
The first problem is the overall shortage and the second is the possibility of the Centre prioritising states that are in a crisis deeper than in Meghalaya.
“At the same time, the vaccination is going on for the 45-plus. We are hopeful that they would be covered within 7-10 days,” he said.
Asked if the Centre has been providing financial support to deal with the COVID-19 situation, the Chief Minister said the state government has been receiving help in different ways such as free vaccines for the 45-plus.
“Three oxygen plants coming up in the state are funded through PM Care. The Centre has been forthcoming whenever we need any support. We are seeking other forms of support such as bringing down the price of the vaccine to Rs. 150 per dose like the Centre is purchasing at,” Sangma said.
