Covid-19 vaccination drive India update: Centre urges states to utilise 100% capacities of private hospitals

Covid-19 vaccination drive India update: The Union government on Tuesday urged states and Union Territories (UTs) to utilise 100% capacities of private hospitals functioning as Covid-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs).

In a review meeting on Tuesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan held discussion witth additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries (H&FW) of states and UTs through a video conference. Dr. Ram S Sharma, Chairman of Empowered Group on Vaccine Administration (Co-WIN) and member, National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration of COVID-19 (NEGVAC) also attended the meeting. According to the Health Ministry’s release, during the meeting, they reviewed the status and pace of the country-wide Covid-19 vaccination programme, which was commenced from March 1.

They urged states and UTs to utilise 100% capacities of all private hospitals as vaccination centers. “In addition to all government healthcare facilities, all private hospitals empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PM JAY) and similar State Health Insurance Schemes can function as CVCs by adhering to some specific norms,” the release said.

States and UTs were also asked to regularly collaborate with the private hospitals to ensure that their optimum capacities for vaccination are fully utilised.

The government has also given permission to private hospitals that are not empanelled under the above mentioned three categories to operate as vaccination centres if they have an adequate number of vaccinators, space for observation of the vaccinated, cold chain arrangement and arrangement for the management of AEFI. “States/UTs can proactively make efforts to use these private hospitals as CVCs,” the release said.