Covid vaccination: Hospitals await final word on price ahead of next phase

Self-registration for the 60-plus group opens on March 1; service charge at private hospitals may be capped at Rs 100 per jab

Two days to go for the next phase of Covid vaccination, Centre and state government officials met in a marathon video conference meeting to put tech and logistic things in order. While it was decided that the Union health ministry would make registration for the inoculation available in advance, on spot and also in large cohorts for groups through the Co-WIN2.0, the finer details of pricing at private healthcare centres were still being discussed at the time of going to press.          

A source in the know said vaccination at any private hospital/healthcare centre would be available at an MRP that would include the cost of vaccine and a service charge. The service charge is likely to be capped at Rs 100. Cost of the vaccine, which private players would procure from the government supply chain, would be finalized during the weekend, according to officials. At government hospitals, vaccination will be free.        

On March 1, self-registration on Co-WIN2.0 will begin for those above 60 years of age and 45 plus with co-morbidities. Although vaccination for this category is scheduled to begin on March 1 itself, the process could be slow initially because of the delayed start of the registration process, an official in the know said.

Covid vaccination for healthcare and frontline workers has been put on hold during this weekend to prepare for the next big round starting on Monday. The new inoculation round for senior citizens and those above 45 with co-morbidities is expected to pick speed only after a week or so.

In the midst of apprehension that the 60 plus category may not be able to access any vaccine as early as March 1, the health ministry clarified that the new Co-WIN version would allow not just those who belong to the specified age groups but also health and frontline workers who were left out of the ongoing phases to select vaccination centres of their choice.

               

The actual jab may still be a few days away with the government starting the registration process on March 1, a source said. “Right now session planning is being done. Logistics have to be worked out, vaccines have to reach vaccination centres. The health ministry will decide when to start the vaccination drive,” he said.

In fact, the Uttar Pradesh government is targeting to roll out the inoculation drive for the 60 plus group starting March 4.

With decisions being made so close to the date, hospitals, both private and public, were nervous about how the entire exercise will be rolled out.

The revamped Co-WIN 2.0 app will be launched on Saturday and tested during the weekend before being made operational from Monday, government officials said. “We are awaiting detailed notification on how and through whom private hospitals will be able to source vaccines,” a state government official in Gujarat said.

At the Centre, however, an official pointed out that all the SOPs had been sent to the states already. Rajesh Bhushan, health secretary, along with R S Sharma, chairman, empowered group on vaccine administration (Co-WIN), had held a meeting with health secretaries and directors of national health missions earlier in the day.

Tamil Nadu health secretary J Radhakrishnan pointed out that both Covaxin and Covishield will be available in most private hospitals and individuals would be able to select the centre of their choice. The state currently has 1.2 million vaccine doses across different locations. Gujarat too has more than 1 million doses available.

Beneficiaries would be able to self-register in advance by downloading the Co-WIN 2.0 app and also through other platforms such as Aarogya Setu. The system will then show a list of government and private hospitals serving as Covid vaccination centres along with date and time of the available schedules. Users will be able to book a time and place of their choice to get the jab.

If a person is not available to register in advance, he can simply walk into the vaccination centre and get registered on site as well. Government has also asked states to use women self help groups, ASHA workers, panchayati raj representatives, to mobilise large cohorts of target groups who are eligible for vaccination. Specific dates for the vaccination will be decided for these potential beneficiaries who will be registered as a group on the Co-WIN 2.0. Along with a photo ID, those seeking a jab in the age group 45 to 59 years would have to bring a certificate of co-morbidity signed by a registered medical practitioner.

All beneficiaries would receive a QR Code after the first dose of vaccination along with a provisional certificate and a final one after the second dose.

Pricing is a matter of concern. “We incur cost on syringes, manpower, area we utilise and its maintenance. In the current phase, the government collects the unused vaccines on a daily basis from us. If we have to store it as well, the cost would go further up. There is no clarity yet from the government,” said  Kausar Shah, chief operating officer, Akash Healthcare.

Hospitals are also waiting for clarity on how many doses will they be allotted and at what price.

“We have prepared triage areas, trained 20-25 staff in each of our hospitals for the drive including nurses, data entry and billing person and a doctor to monitor any adverse events. However, we are still awaiting clear guidelines,” said Bishnu Panigrahi, group head medical strategy, Fortis Healthcare.

States have also been told to make sure that private hospitals which will be covid vaccination centres have adequate space for the vaccination process, cold chain equipment, adequate facility for management of adverse events following immunisation and their own team of vaccinators and staff.

All private hospitals empanelled under the Central Government Health Scheme, Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana and similar state health insurance schemes can be Covid vaccination centres.

(With inputs from Virendra Rawat in Lucknow)