“Free COVID-19 Vaccines, If Voted To Power”: Politics Over Public Health For BJP?

Who do you think made this statement at the launch of BJP’s manifesto for Bihar assembly polls in Patna on October 22, 2020? If you were wondering whether it is Mr J.P. Nadda, the President of BJP, or Mr Devendra Fadnavis, BJP’s poll-in-charge for Bihar, or Mr Sanjay Jaiswal, BJP’s Bihar State President, then you are mistaken. This was said by Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP Member and current Finance Minister of India.

Let us keep in mind that the Indian economy has contracted by 23.9% in the last quarter (April-June 2020). Are you also wondering whether it is brilliant time management and multi-tasking skills or political propaganda with the Finance Minister of the country (of course, in her role as BJP member) ascertaining the ruling party’ message that the vaccine will be delivered free of cost, if, BJP is voted to power?

The announcement was questioned by several opposition leaders, journalists and citizens who called the announcement ‘populist’, questioned it as to whether being a ‘veiled threat’  amidst an election, raised concerns regarding access to vaccines for residents of non-BJP rules States and slammed it for the blatant politicization of a vaccine when the world is grappling with a pandemic.

The BJP IT Cell Chief, Mr Amit Malviya was quick to respond to these questions by saying that considering ‘Health’ is a State subject, it is within the prerogative of any State government to decide whether they will give it for free or otherwise. His exact response can be seen below.

The 6 Questions That Therefore Arise Are

One: When did the Center share their vaccine distribution plan and declare that vaccines will be provided at a nominal rate to States? Can the ruling party’s IT cell chief’s tweet, after the criticism of the manifesto promise, be treated as policy declaration by the Union Government?

Two: Can the vaccine for a global pandemic such as COVID-19 be equated to “like all programs” vaccines (Re: Amit Malviya’s tweet) and be given at a nominal rate? Can India consider making COVID-19 vaccines free for all citizens like Norway and Australia? Amidst high unemployment and economic slowdown, can the government put the onus of paying for the vaccine on the citizens?

Three: When the finance minister says, “As soon as COVID-19 vaccines are available for production at mass scale, every person in Bihar will get free vaccination”, on what basis are people from Bihar being given priority of getting vaccines? What happens to people from other States? Earlier this month itself the Union Health Minister had rightly so shared that “priority will be given to frontline health care workers” and irrespective of their paying capacity. So, have the upcoming elections changed the priorities of the government wherein the political privilege lies with the people of that State instead of ‘COVID-19 warriors’?

Four: How correct is it for the Union Finance Minister, who is responsible for GST compensation disbursement to States (which is already under controversy) which is essentially a chunk of the States revenue source, especially in the wake of economic slowdown and revenue losses for the States as well, to announce that if voted to power, the vaccines will be provided for free? Where will the funds come from?

Five: Is it ethical to make free vaccination for a disease whose severity and spread has led it to be categorized as a pandemic and continues to affect lives and livelihoods across the world, as a manifesto promise?

Six: The last but most important question is that amidst a global pandemic, shouldn’t it be the centre’s responsibility to ensure that there is a uniformity in accessibility, availability, and affordability of the COVID-19 vaccine across States? After all, the right to health is integral to the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The first phase of polling in Bihar begins from October 28 and the counting is slated for November 10. Some of the other states where elections are due within this year or mid-next year include bye-polls for 28 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, amongst others. However, as expected, the promise of “Free COVID19 Vaccines” follows the ‘chronology’ of elections, with similar declarations being made by Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh (BJP ruled state) and Tamil Nadu (ruled by BJP’s ally AIADMK).

Would the Republic like to know whether once a vaccine is approved for use, will we have ‘One Nation, One Vaccine’ or not?