Yesterday during his address to the nation PM Narendra Modi announced a new vaccination policy. Friends, you will recall that a few days back Supreme Court (SC) asked the Central govt to reply why the free vaccine is not available to people in the age group of 18 to 44 years. This was in response to one petition filed in the SC regarding why stepmotherly treatment to this age group. Additionally, SC asked the Central govt to explain how they are going to spend Rs 35,00 Cr budgeted for vaccination in the current financial year. It looks like the new vaccination policy has been announced so that the SC directive to the Central govt is implemented.
The highlights of the new policy are :
- All above 18 years of age in the country to get free vaccination at govt facilities from 21st June 2021 ( several states were already giving free vaccines to all in 18-44 age group.
- Centre to buy 75 % of jabs from vaccine makers and give it free to state govt.
- The state will have to spend no money for procuring vaccine.
- Private sector hospitals will continue to procure 25% of the vaccine directly from manufactures.
- A service charge of private hospitals to be capped at Rs 150 per dose over the fixed price of the vaccine.
- The task of monitoring vaccination drive at private hospitals will remain with the state govt.
What has changed
- Earlier, the Centre was providing free vaccines to the 45+ age group and the frontline workers at govt facilities across the country. Now, all above 18 years of age to get free vaccines at all govt facilities.
- Earlier states were buying 25% of jabs from manufacturers for vaccination of 18-44 age group at govt facilities in the state. Now the Centre will buy the state quota also from the manufacturers.
- Until now, India based vaccine manufacturers were selling 50% vaccine stock to the Centre and 25% each to the states and private sector. Now the Centre will buy 75% of the entire stock manufactured and give it to states for free.
PM further said that the old policy was amended as per the request raised by many states that they want to buy their own vaccine. While many states did make a good effort, they also realised the challenges of undertaking such a big task. They also became familiar with global problems related to vaccines. And within the first couple of weeks, many states started requesting a change back to the old system. The Centre also considered the overall situation and decided that return to an earlier approach would be better.
Now after the PM’s address, the spoke person of the private healthcare association has asked the Centre to procure vaccines for private hospitals to jump-start the vaccination drive, as they were doing prior to 1st May 2021. The small hospitals and nursing homes, which were part of the drive before 1st May, do not have the capacity to buy vaccines on their own. These small establishments are an important link to take vaccination to the people. If the Centre procures and involves even small nursing homes and hospitals then the vaccination numbers can easily reach 1 Cr in a day. The association also pointed out that the cap of service charge at Rs 150 will not cover the additional costs incurred for offsite vaccination camps which involve substantial costs like ambulance, transport, extra staff and doctors.
In my opinion, this is a welcome policy for the vaccination drive, but points raised by private healthcare associations are also valid. The Centre should also look into them and resolve the same at the earliest.
Now the opposition parties and their leaders are saying that the Centre has finally admitted that their vaccination policy was flawed. Now they are in insisting that even private hospitals should be supplied vaccine at free of cost. These opposition leaders instead of admitting the failure of the states where they are ruling are now putting blame on the Centre and want to take credit that on their demand the policy was changed. Why they are forgetting that they wanted states to order their own vaccines, as they had lost faith in the Central govt for the vaccine doses supply. For more than a month most of the opposition ruled states tried to procure vaccine doses but failed to do so, and then they started saying that the Centre should procure and give the same to the states. This is after vaccine manufacturers refused to deal with the state govt as they wanted only to deal with the Centre. The habit of politicians to score brownie points during the pandemic is deplorable. Why can’t they work in tandem and serve the public during these difficult times?
But to ask something like this from Indian politicians is like asking for the moon.
Waiting for your views and comments.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
8th June 2021