Slow pace of procurement and administration of vaccines by private centres is a matter of concern: Centre

In a high-level meeting chaired by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare expressed serious concern over the slow pace of procurement and administration of vaccines by private Covid vaccination centres in many states. It was pointed out in the meeting that many private Covid vaccination centres (PVCs) have not placed any indent for the earmarked quantum of Covid vaccines.

New Delhi:The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the slow pace of procurement and administration of vaccines by private Covid vaccination centres in many States. Aware of the situation, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries and senior immunisation officials of 15 states and UTs through video conferencing.

It was pointed out in the meeting that many private Covid vaccination centres (PVCs) have not placed any indent for the earmarked quantum of Covid vaccines. Many state governments need to facilitate vaccine procurement by the PVCs. Accordingly, states were advised to review the status on a daily basis and ensure that indents for the earmarked quantum are quickly placed with the private vaccine manufacturer.

The state government and the PCVCs were advised to ensure that the gap between the indented quantity and payment towards their procurement reduced to zero. The instruction was given following the fact that while the indent for the Covid vaccine has been placed with the state government, payment has not been made for the entire amount of indented vaccines.

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"In some cases, no payments had been made for the entire indented quantity," the meeting pointed out. Ironically, in some states wherever vaccine doses have been lifted by the PCVCs, the actual administration of Covid vaccines is seen to be less than the vaccine quantity lifted. Highlighting the slow pace of vaccination through the PCVCs, states were advised to review the status and progress of vaccine procurement by PCVCs on a daily basis.

Following the revised guidelines for universalisation of the countryside Covid vaccination programme, 25 per cent of the vaccines can be procured by the private sector. Wednesday's meeting was attended by representatives from states and UTs like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharastra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. Representatives from the two Covid vaccine manufacturers, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India were also present.

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