Govt explains why PM Modi’s picture is there on COVID vaccination certificates

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph and message on vaccination certificates reinforce the need for creating awareness about the importance of following COVID-19-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, in larger public interest, and hence feature on the certificate.

This is what the government has argued when it was questioned by Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former journalist Kumar Ketkar in Parliament on whether it is necessary and compulsory to print photographs of the prime minister on the certificate of COVID-19 vaccination. Ketkar also asked who had made it compulsory.

Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar replied that, given the context of the pandemic and its evolving nature, following COVID-appropriate behaviours has emerged as one of the most critical measures for preventing the spread of disease. She said the photograph along with the message of PM on the vaccination certificates reinforces the message for creating awareness about the importance of following COVID-19 appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, “in larger public interest”.

She added that it is the "moral and ethical responsibility of the government” to ensure that such critical messages are disseminated to people “in the most effective manner”. The minister also stressed in her reply that the formats of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, which are being issued to vaccinated beneficiaries from Co-WIN, are standardised and conform to evolving WHO guidance on verifiable vaccination certificates.

“The format of vaccination certificate, compliant with the WHO norms for vaccination certificates, including the message and presentation about importance of following COVID appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, has been decided keeping all these factors in consideration,” the minister noted.

Ketkar also asked if any government before has made it necessary or compulsory to print the photograph of then prime minister on any vaccine certificate such as polio or smallpox. The government has not answered the question.