Private hospitals seek clarity on Covid-19 vaccine procurement

New Delhi: Several private hospitals across the country said they have no clarity on procuring Covid-19 vaccines under the new policy announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that it has led to the vaccination being put on hold at their centres.

The hospitals have sought a proper mechanism and a single-window system to be put in place for procurement of vaccine doses. They also claimed that they had approached the vaccine manufacturers — Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) — and state governments, but to no avail. Meanwhile, in a recent communication to the Union Health Ministry, Prakash Kumar Singh, Director, Regulatory Affairs at SII, is learnt to have written: "As per your direction, we are not accepting any further orders/payment from any private hospital in the country.

We await your further direction with regard to roadmap for future supplies to private hospitals." Elaborating the problems faced by private hospitals, SCL Gupta, Medical Director, Batra Hospital said, "The problem is that there is no clarity on how we will be procuring the vaccines."

"When we ask the state government officials, they say wait till June 21 stating that the policy is not yet clear.

"The Central government has also asked us to wait. We have approached the companies too, but they are also not clear on the methodology of procurement," he said. In the whole process, Gupta said, vaccination of people is getting delayed.

"With fear of a possible third wave hitting India, we want to vaccinate as many people as possible. Also, several people and many of our healthcare workers who have taken the first dose are waiting for their second dose," he said.

P K Bhardwaj, Chief Executive Director and Head of Department of Surgery, Saroj Hospital also said that nothing has been clearly spelt about procurement by private hospitals and how much vaccines will be given to each private hospital.