Presenting a contrarian perspective on COVID-19 vaccination, a Lok Sabha MP on Wednesday asked the government not to waste Rs 35,000 crore on the inoculation drive and instead use the money in improving the health infrastructure in the country. Participating in a discussion on demands for grants of the Health Ministry, YSRCP member Sanjeev Kumar Singari argued that vaccination is a waste of money as universal vaccination is neither possible nor warranted.

“Now the government is proposing to spend Rs 35,000 on COVID-19 vaccination, this is a waste of money in my view. COVID-19 vaccine saves us only for 6-9 months after that Rs 35,000 crore will be evaporated,” Singari said. He also noted that crises like COVID-19 occur once in 100 years, so the government should not give much importance to the coronavirus pandemic.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has provided Rs 35,000 crore towards COVID-19 vaccination in 2021-22 fiscal. “I suggest to the government to divert Rs 35,000 crore to primary healthcare which is very essential for India,” Singari said.

Noting that 60 per cent seropositivity is considered immunity and many cities like Hyderabad have already recorded 54 per cent of seropositivity rate, he said, “I request the government to not spend money on COVID-19 vaccination.” Singari also emphasised that Ayurveda doctors should not be allowed to practice modern systems of medicine. Last year, the government issued a notification authorising post-graduate practitioners in specified streams of Ayurveda to be trained to perform surgical procedures such as excisions of benign tumours, nasal and cataract surgeries.

Terming the move a “man-made catastrophe in the making”, the Lok Sabha MP said these surgeries are in the domain of various specialties of the allopathic system.