Pvt centres administered only 17% doses procured in May

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 12

Private hospitals across India were able to administer only 17 per cent of the Covid 19 vaccine doses they procured in May, signalling low jab uptake and potential wastage.

Data reviewed by The Tribune has shown that in May (after the liberalised vaccine policy took effect from May 1), 7.4 crore doses were available. Of these, 1.85 crore were earmarked for procurement by private hospitals, which, under the liberalised policy, were allowed to procure 25 pc doses directly from the manufacturers (states were allowed to procure another 25 per cent and Centre the remaining 50 per cent for free distribution to states).

1.85 crore jabs were earmarked

• After the vaccine policy took effect on May 1, 7.4 cr doses were available
• Of these, 1.85 crore were earmarked for procurement by private hospitals
• The policy mandates state governments to ensure optimum use of vaccines and zero wastage

The private hospitals were finally able to procure 1.29 crore doses in May and out of these, they could administer 22 lakh through May, which is just about 17 per cent.

Top government sources today said the potential of vaccine wastage and indications of consumer hesitancy in accepting jabs from private facilities were principal reasons behind tweaking of the national policy that still allows vaccine makers to give up to 25 per cent of their monthly production to private facilities, but involves state governments in aggregating the demand of such facilities.

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