Paraná Governor Proposes R$100 Million Budget Item to Buy Coronavirus Vaccine

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Monday, July 20th, the day the world dawned with the news that at least two vaccines have progressed in research – among them the Oxford vaccine now being tested in Brazil – the government of Brazil’s well-off southern State of Paraná also made an important announcement. The state will set aside R$100 million for the purchase of vaccines against the novel coronavirus.

The announcement was made by Governor Ratinho Jr. (PSD), who said the measure has been referred to the Legislative Assembly of Paraná (ALEP). “We have included a R$100 million resource in the state budget as of January 1st next year for the purchase of vaccines,” the governor said, stressing that the vaccine against the coronavirus should be announced soon.

Despite not yet having a positive opinion on which of the vaccines will effectively be marketed, Ratinho Jr.’s position was intended to have an available resource to be used. “We are now reserving money so that once a laboratory in the world that is proven to have an effective vaccine is announced, Paraná will have this resource available.”

Ratinho Jr.’s measure was an amendment to bill 248/2020, which provides for the Budget Guidelines Law (LDO) for the year 2021. The plan is to allocate R$ 100 million to the Health Secretariat’s budget for the purchase of vaccines against the novel coronavirus.

The proposal was submitted to the Assembly president, Deputy Ademar Traiano, and will be forwarded to the Budget Committee, which is currently considering 124 other amendments submitted by the Executive Branch and 54 state deputies. “We have not yet voted on the LDO. This proposal aims to make an amendment, a budget reallocation to ensure resources for the purchase of vaccines,” added Traiano. “This is an important precaution in the current pandemic scenario.”