Assam ready to contribute funds to government vaccine drive

Guwahati: Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said the state government is ready to contribute funds to the Centre’s mass Covid-19 vaccination drive.

Sarma said three lakh Covaxin and Covisheld vaccines will be given to Covid-19 warriors and frontline workers from January 16 for free. “This is Prime minister Narendra Modi’s gift,” he said. He said the PM had not mentioned anything regarding the states’ monetary contribution to the first phase of the vaccination drive. “Even if the Government of India decides that states must contribute 50 or 30 per cent, we will contribute the same for we collected the money during the pandemic under Assam Arogya Nidhi. This money is kept in a savings bank account. If more money is required, we will give it from the state government,” said Sarma.

The health minister said in the last one week, the state has recorded 50 Covid-19 cases daily. Sarma said Assam will cover 90 lakh people during the first phase of vaccination. “In the stage one of the first phase, 1.9 lakh health workers, which includesdoctors, nurses, paramedics staff, ambulance staff and cleaning staff, will be vaccinated,” he said.