RNS I New Delhi: Now, people aged above 60 years and those above 45 years of age with co-morbidities can get their COVID vaccine shots at Private hospitals functioning as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) too.
The second phase of vaccination drive against Covid-19 to be kicked starts from 1 March target to cover 27 crore people in around 10,000 governments and more than 20,000 private immunization centers. The private hospitals may recover a charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. Thus in the gap of 28 days, two doses will cost about Rs 500 to each person; taxes will be included, it reported.
The cost-breakup for a single dose of the vaccine is being said to be Rs 150 and Rs 100 will be added as service charges; the private hospitals cannot charge more than Rs 250 from the beneficiaries against each vaccination, sources said.
Among the age group of 45 to 59, the government has identified 20 co-morbidities (more than one illness or disease occurring in one person at the same time); includes congenital heart disease that leads to pulmonary arterial hypertension, end-stage kidney disease, or cancers such as lymphoma, leukaemia and myloma, decompensated liver cirrhosis (deterioration of liver function due to scarring), primary immune deficiency conditions, and sickle cell anaemia.
Such persons need to produce a one-page certificate signed by any registered medical practitioner. The certificate can either be uploaded on Co-WIN2.0 by the beneficiary while self-registering or a hard copy can be carried by the beneficiary to the CVC, it stated.
The vaccines will be free of cost at all government CVCs, the Central government will bear the full cost of vaccinations.
In a bid to ramp up the COVID vaccination capacity around 10,000 private hospitals can be used under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY and more than 600 hospitals under Central Government Health Scheme. Other private hospitals empanelled under State Governments, Health Insurance Schemes can also participate as COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs), said Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the ministry has specified that all private health facilities must also have adequate space, adequate cold chain arrangements, an adequate number of vaccinators and support staff, and adequate arrangements for addressing Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI).
“User Names and passwords will be provided to the private facilities to facilitate effective use of CoWIN 2.0 and in addition, the government will also do mapping of private facilities with the nearest cold chain points to ensure seamless flow of vaccines,” the Ministry said.
