In a shocking move the Covid vaccine budget for the next financial year has been axed by 85% compared to last year suggesting a limited expansion of the booster dose programme. Only Rs 5000 crores has been earmarked for vaccines in 2022-23 compared to Rs 39,000 crores for the current year ending 31st March. The budget document justifies this drastic cut by erroneously anticipating a lower requirement of doses despite a large section of the adult population being eligible for the booster dose, not to forget that additionally 120 million children would also be administered the dose in the next financial year. The lower budget makes it amply clear that the booster dose programme if expanded to the entire population would majorly be at the cost of the recipients, the outlay doesn't reflect intent to provide free vaccines going forward. With new antibodies, j n5v resistant strains like Omicron subvariant BA-2 (and others like Lambda waiting in the wings) of Covid hitting India, this slash in allocation is fraught with danger. So much for the PM proclaiming 'subko vaccine, muft vaccine' in print, electronic and out of home media the whole of last year.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
