Rs 150 Won’t Cover Additional Costs: Fortis on New Vaccine Policy

Dr Sangita Reddy stressed the need to take the overall vaccination numbers to 90 lakh a day for India to be safe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 7 June, said that private hospitals will continue to procure 25 percent of vaccines, but they can only apply Rs 150 as a service charge.

(Image: Altered by The Quint)

In his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 7 June, said that private hospitals will continue to procure 25 percent of vaccines, but they can only apply Rs 150 as a service charge or administration charge.

Consequently, Fortis Healthcare welcomed the new vaccination policy, where 75 percent of vaccines will be procured by the Centre and supplied for free to states which would mean, all adults would get free jabs in government hospitals, starting 21 June.

However, Fortis urged the government to consider a higher charge for off-site vaccination camps.

Responding to the cap on service charge, Fortis Healthcare said in a statement, “We urge the government to consider a higher charge for off-site vaccination camps to enable expanded coverage as the cap of service charge at Rs 150 will not cover additional costs incurred for off-site vaccination camps which involve costs like ambulance, transport, doctors, and other costs,” news agency ANI reported.

In response to the cap on administration charge, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, Dr Sangita Reddy said in an interview to CNBC, “Doesn’t make a very big difference for us. We were approximately charging Rs 200 over the vaccine. The PM has said Rs 150, and we will continue with the vaccination programme.”

Reddy stressed that there is a need for the overall vaccine number in the country to increase from 14 to 15 lakh to 90 lakh a day for India to be safe.

Saying that price capping will be beneficial, Medanta Chairman Dr Naresh was quoted as saying, “It’s an important move as we’ll have an extra boost for our vaccination programme; Centre’s decision to manage 25 percent of states’ vaccination work will lessen their burden,” ANI reported.

Chief Strategy Officer of Indian Spinal Injuries Centre Sugandh Ahluwalia was quoted as saying, “Earlier last month, we had to halt vaccination due to non-availability of the vaccine. We are hopeful that today's announcement will address the demand-supply gap for good.”

Addressing the shortage of vaccines, Dr Aashish Chaudhry, Managing Director of Dwarka’s Aakash Healthcare, said, “The fact that new vaccines are being approved and many more are in advanced phases of trials, it will play an important role in addressing the ongoing shortage of vaccines. As of now, we are administering Covishield vaccine but will induct more as and when they become available.”

(With inputs from ANI)