The Central Government on the 8th of June, announced revised guidelines for the national vaccination programme 2021.
According to the new guidelines, the Wuhan virus also known as the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine doses would be given free of cost to people above 18 years old. The Central Government would provide the vaccine doses free of cost to the state governments.
The doses would be given based on the criteria like their population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination drive. The new guidelines would be implemented from the 21st of June, two weeks from now.
The notice regarding the revised guidelines read, “Wastage of vaccine will affect the allocation negatively.” This guideline is said to be in the wake of rising percentage of wastage of vaccine doses by state governments.
In addition, health care and frontline workers, those above 45 years of age, citizens whose second dose is due, would be given priority at the government run hospitals, where free vaccine would be given.
The issued guideline said “Within the population group of citizens more than 18 years of age, States/UTs may decide their own prioritization factoring in the vaccine supply schedule.”
The guidelines also read, “All government and private vaccination centres would also provide an onsite registration facility for individuals as well as groups of individuals, for which “detailed procedure is to be finalised and published by States/UTs, in order to minimize any inconvenience to citizens.”
The guideline was issued within 24 hours of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement during the address to the nation. On the 7th of June at 5:00 P.M., PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation and announced changes to the ongoing vaccination drive. Mr. Modi announced to take back the responsibility of providing vaccines to people between 18 to 44 year old age groups. From the 1st of May, the Central Government allowed state governments to procure vaccines directly from manufacturers.
However, considering the mishandling, reported shortage of vaccine and hurdles faced by state governments, the Central Government decided to procure 75 % of the vaccines by manufacturers for the people of India. The remaining 25 % procurement of vaccines against the Wuhan virus has been given to the private hospitals. The private hospitals in India are allowed to procure the COVID-19 vaccines directly from manufacturers with 150 additional service charges. With this, vaccines at private hospitals would be given at original cost plus 150 service charges across the nation.
The state governments would be responsible and would monitor that only Rs. 150 service charge is levied by the private hospitals over the decided price of the vaccines.
Meanwhile, till date, the Central Government has provided more than 24 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses to states and Union territories. The Union Health Ministry said, “More than 24 crore (24,65,44,060) vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far, through Government of India (free of cost channel) and through direct state procurement category and of this, the total consumption, including wastages, is 23,47,43,489 doses (as per data available at 8 am today.)”
The ministry said that 1,19,46,925 vaccine doses are still available with the states and Union territories.
In addition, till the 8th of June, 23,61,98,726 doses of the Wuhan virus vaccine have been administered so far across India.
