From March 1, those who take a COVID-19 vaccine from a private hospital would have to pay no more than Rs 250 per shot. Rajesh Bhushan, union health secretary told state officials today that private hospitals functioning as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) can charge for vaccines subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose. Government centres would provide the shots free of cost, with the central government bearing the full cost of vaccination.
In a bid to utilise the private sector in the expanded vaccination drive (those above 60 years and those between 45-59 years with co-morbidities), Bhushan discussed the issues around access to the CoWIN 2.0 app (user names and passwords)for private facilities, and the subject of mapping them with the nearest cold chain points ensure seamless flow of vaccines with state government officials at a meeting on Saturday.
To ramp up the COVID vaccination capacity, a large number of private facilities are being involved.
“Around 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, more than 600 hospitals empanelled under CGHS and other private hospitals empanelled under state government health insurance schemes can participate as COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs). Health departments of state governments have already initiated dialogue with these private hospitals so that they can be encouraged to participate in this drive as CVCs,” the health ministry has said.
A list of these private hospitals has been uploaded on the ministry’s website and that of the National Health Authority.
In addition, there would be government health facilities that will be used as CVCs—medical college hospitals, district hospitals, sub-divisional hospitals, CHCs, PHCs, health sub-centres and health and wellness centres. Geo-reference maps with GPS coordinates of all these health facilities have been prepared that will serve as CVCs and these geo-referenced maps are being shared with the states, according to the health ministry.
At the meeting with the health secretary, a simplified system of certifying people with 20 co-morbidities within the 45-59 years age group was also explained to the states. The simplified one-page certificate that includes co-morbidities such as heart failure with hospital admission, post-cardiac transplant, kidney disease, severe respiratory disease, sickle cell disease and hypertension and diabetes would need to be signed by a registered medical practitioner. It would then be required to be uploaded on Co-WIN2.0 by the beneficiary while self-registering or a hard copy can be carried by the beneficiary to the CVC.
All private health facilities which will serve as government COVID Vaccination Centers must follow strict norms of due process, quality and safety including integration with the National Co-Win technology platform, the ministry said in a statement.
“All private health facilities must also have adequate space, adequate cold chain arrangements, adequate number of vaccinators and support staff and adequate arrangements for addressing Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI),” the statement reads.
