MUMBAI: Private hospitals involved in Covid vaccination in Mumbai have not been able to place fresh orders for stocks from manufacturers since June 7.
This follows the Central health ministry’s guidelines dated June 8 that said states would “aggregate the demand of private hospitals keeping in view equitable distribution between large and small private hospitals and regional balance.” An official with the Serum Institute of India confirmed no new orders from private hospitals or hospital chains were being accepted since June 7.
However, the Maharashtra government is not clear about its role in this private hospital drama.
On Saturday, a senior health official told TOI that the Centre hasn’t yet taken the final call on whether states should get into the facilitators’ role.
Another official said it is optional.
When contacted, state National Health Mission director N Ramaswami said matters would get clearer in the coming week.
“A few states had said they wouldn’t be able to monitor the private sector and wanted a centralised procurement and distribution system, but we are expecting a clearer directive in the coming week,” he said.
The state government’s plan is to appoint a nodal officer to oversee the procurement and costing by private hospitals.
“The price of the vaccines has been decided.
The quota for the private sector has been fixed at 25%.
The service charge for private hospitals has been fixed at Rs 150.
The state has to monitor that all the rules are being followed,” said a senior doctor from the public health department.
In Mumbai, due to paucity of vaccines with the public sector, private hospitals dominate the drive.
On Friday, for instance, 77% of the 53,427 shots were given by private players.
Many big-name hospitals have bought stocks that could last them for a month.
“Some clarity should be available before the June 21 deadline that prime minister Narendra Modi set for the Centre’s new policy to kick in,” said a doctor.
Joy Chakraborthy of Hinduja Hospital, Mahim, said the hospital vaccinates over 2,000 people a day at its hospital and at corporate offices.
“We have stocks to last us until July 15 or more,” he said .
TOI had reported on Saturday about how private hospitals would be allotted doses based on location and demand.