Congress claims vaccine makers to make Rs 1.11 lakh crore profit

Congress on Sunday accused the Modi government of allowing vaccine makers profiteer to the tune of Rs 1.11 lakh crore by allowing differential pricing for Covid-19 vaccines.

“How can such brazen vaccine profiteering be permitted? Why is the Modi government complicit in this profiteering in the times of pandemic? Prime Minister Narendra Modi must answer,” Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters at a virtual press conference.

He claimed that the Modi government has introduced “the most discriminatory and insensitive vaccination policy” in the entire world.

According to the prices offered by the vaccine makers, Surjewala claimed that the SII and Bharat Biotech would make a profit of Rs 35,350 crore and Rs 75,750 crore respectively.

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“The population below 45 years of age is 101 crore. To vaccinate them, we need 202 crore doses and the cost of these will have to be borne by the states or the individuals themselves,” he said.

“Assuming that states will provide 50 per cent vaccination and individuals will bear 50 per cent of vaccination cost, the profit of the two vaccine manufacturers -- Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech – will be Rs 1,11,100 crore,” he said.

He came to the conclusion after assuming that 50 per cent of 101 crore people between 18 and 45 years would buy their own vaccines and the other half would be served by states.

“The Modi government is guilty of permitting brazen profiteering of vaccination. The Modi government is also guilty of abdicating its responsibility and abandoning the young of India between the age group of 18 and 45 years,” he alleged.