CHP calls on gov’t to inform people about vaccination timeline

ANKARA

The government should outline a precise vaccination timeline so that citizens know when they can get vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic, the leader of the main opposition party has said, asking the government about contracts with supplier countries. 

“No timeline has been declared about the vaccination. People do not know when they will be vaccinated. Three million doses have arrived, but will the new batches follow them? Turkey needs 10, 20, or 30 million doses of vaccine, but is there any contract for the new supply?” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu told the reporters during a meeting with İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan on Jan. 20.

“We are urging the government. Three million doses are not sufficient for Turkey. They came from China. But are there any deals done with other countries? You don’t know, and we don’t know,” Kılıçdaroğlu said. 

The Turkish Parliament and relevant civil society organizations are not informed about the process either, he stated. “Even health personnel are unaware of it. There is a closed world, and we are trying to decipher this closed world just like you.” 

Kılıçdaroğlu recalled that Health Minister Fahrettin Koca invited him to get vaccinated, but he chose to wait for his line instead. “I told him that priority should be given to health personnel. I will be vaccinated when times come for my age group.”

Turkey has received 3 million vaccine doses from China and has been continuing talks to increase the number of doses up to 50 million.