Private Hospitals urge govt to raise vaccination charges to Rs 300 per dose

Bengaluru: In a letter to the Covid Task Force, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) has requested for the revision of vaccination service charges to Rs 300 per dose.

The association said that the cost incurred by the hospitals including logistics, PPE kits and storage among other needs for vaccination expenses cannot be covered under Rs 100 per dose as the cost itself will cross more than Rs 250 per dose.

"Nearly six crore population needs to be vaccinated in the shortest possible time. Each of these need 2 doses and that makes the number 12 crore vaccinations. Unlike the earlier phases, this time we are buying vials from the supplier at a cost nearly 4-8 times we paid the government. This means that private sector needs to invest large sums of money beforehand," said Dr Prasanna HM, President, PHANA.

He further stated that hospitals need to spend money on cold chain logistics, safe storage and pilferage protection and since a large number of beneficiaries are to be vaccinated the short period of time extended vaccination timings, ON SITE set up of vaccination booths will cost the private hospitals more.

"This phase of vaccination is going to happen when there are significant number of Covid positive patients in the community, the front end personnel need to have proper PPE kits which is going to add to the cost. "Safe distancing in vaccination sites is going to add to the money spent on physical areas. Quality of care and trained personnel to be deployed is going to add to further costs. The disposables needed for the vaccination as well as the disinfection protocols of the vaccination site are most essential and at the same time cost drivers," Prasanna added.