Two and a half months after the center decided to order a 25% vaccine produced in India for the private sector, the data itself showed that the sector only contributed 7% of vaccination since then.
On July 20, in response to the question of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Malikarjun Kharge, the Ministry of Health stated that from May 1 to July 15, 2021, around 7% of total Covid vaccination was carried out in private centers.
Toi has reported on June 4 that the private vaccination center accounts for around 7.5% of vaccine doses given from the beginning of vaccination drive in January.
The information provided in parliament shows that it remains at the same level.
Given this reality, public health experts question the government’s insistence to continue with a 25% quota for private hospitals.
Some state governments have also requested private sector quota to be cut or even stopped.
“The central government literally encourages state government officials to increase private sector vaccination.
Although the high level of persuasion from above, private sector vaccination does not increase because vaccination is not in accordance with the private sector model.
The private sector model is low volume and high margins, while vaccination It is about low margins on high volumes and therefore they are not interested in vaccination, “explained Dr.
T Sundararan from the People’s Health Movement.
He added that it looked like an ideological commitment to promote the private sector and joint administrative efforts to encourage patients to the private sector.
Its failure to take vaccination describe what a small part of the private sector in such services, he added.
“Absorption of a poor vaccine by the private sector proves that the private sector has never been interested in preventive health or public goodness.
Now with the cost of services they can specify at each dose that is limited to the RS 150, they do not have incentives to be involved with vaccination.
During the price Not regulated, they are interested.
When the government brings regulations, the private sector is supported, “said Dr.
Rama Baru, professors at the center of social medicine and public health in JNU.
He added that because of the volume of demand at the bottom of the pyramid, where most people cannot afford the price in which vaccines are managed in the private sector, there are several takers for private sector vaccination.
Prof.
R Ramakumar, an economist at the Tata Institute of Social Science (Tiss) who has tracked vaccination carefully, the word price of private sector vaccines is not affordable for most people.
“At Rs 1,400, two covaxin doses will be half of the monthly income of many people.
As long as the trade union government is 100% of shots and supply it to the countries and leave it to the state government to decide how much to distribute to the private sector, it works .
Our vaccination rate can be much faster if we continue the policy, “said Prof.
Kumar.
“The idea is that private participation will take some pressure from the public health system and that higher prices for producers will give them incentives to produce more.
Supply is limited even after the company produces the maximum they can and higher prices because incentives do not enter sense, “Prof.
Kumar added.