NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday was effusive in its praise for the Union government‘s smooth conduct of vaccination of its citizens against coronavirus, which started with the frontline workers, and said India has done a great job both domestically and internationally.
“There is no doubt that India is doing a great job. The government of India has distinguished itself internationally by exporting vaccines to many countries,” said a bench led by CJI S A Bobde.
This remark came after solicitor general Tushar Mehta explained the modus operandi of vaccination and export of vaccines to needy countries. “We are the fastest in vaccinating our citizens,” the SG said.
In its affidavit, the Centre has put its foot down and said it would not violate the policy decision to vaccinate only those above 60 years old or those between 45-59 age group with 20 specified comorbidities. “Government of India has tremendous respect for the legal profession, but it may not be desirable to create a separate class consisting of lawyers or others below the age of 45 years to discriminate persons engaged in other trades, professions or businesses as such a classification would lead to discrimination,” it said.
It informed the court that around 7.6 crore doses of the vaccine has been sent to states and UTs and that in the first 49 days of vaccination, India has inoculated 2.1 crore of its citizens as against USA 3.2 crore. Turkey 95.6 lakhs and UK 76 lakhs. It said most countries started with vaccination of their population over the age of 75 years and lowered the age limit gradually.
On export of vaccines, the Centre said there is a certain quantity of doses that can be administered daily in India given the available manpower and infrastructure. India exports only the number of doses that are produced by the two manufacturers in excess of the daily domestic requirement, it said.
“Onc epidemic takes pandemic form, its management has to be done keeping in mind the entire globe as a unit and it is not possible to take a country-specific approach. India is not immune to pandemic till the world at large has contained the disease. Low/middle income countries as well as nations with limited access to pharmaceutical technologies are at debilitating disadvantages in dealing with the pandemic. To this end, the government has allowed only limited export of vaccines while according highest priority to domestic needs,” it said.