Centre’s changing policy makes Bihar’s pvt players wary of participating in vaccine drive

Critical of the Centre repeatedly changing its Covid vaccine allotment policy, most private players have adopted a wait and watch policy. This could affect Bihar’s vaccination drive, as the state could lose out a substantial chunk of the 25% allotment of vaccines in the private sector

Bihar may fail to absorb the 25% share of Covid-19 vaccines, to be routed through the private healthcare channel, as most private institutions are wary of applying afresh for vaccines after a failed attempt in June.

Beneficiaries stand in a queue for a dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Patna. (HT Photo)

Critical of the Centre repeatedly changing its vaccine allotment policy, most private players have adopted a wait and watch policy. This could affect Bihar’s vaccination drive, as the state could lose out a substantial chunk of the 25% allotment of vaccines in the private sector.

“We are waiting for clarity from the government before we apply afresh. We cannot apply unless the government advises us,” said Dr LB Singh, medical superintendent of the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan (MCS), run by the Mahavir temple trust in Patna.

The cancer hospital had ordered 100 doses of Covishield through the National Health Authority (NHA) on June 29, but never got them. The NHA refunded ₹63,000 on July 20 for the 100 doses of Covishield.

The hospital’s sister concern, the Mahavir Vatsalya Aspatal, a super-specialty hospital for children, has got neither the vaccines nor the refund after paying upfront for 100 doses of Covishield in June.

“We have communicated about the non-receipt of vaccines and the refund to the NHA . It has assured it will refund ₹63,000 soon,” said Dr Upendra Prasad Sinha, the nodal officer for Covid-19 vaccination at the child hospital.

Dr Sidharth of the KP Sinha Memorial Hospital was also unsure of placing fresh orders after getting a refund.

Urologist Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh, managing director of the NABH-accredited Ruban Memorial Hospital, was critical of the government frequently changing its policy, but had re-applied for the vaccines, as he said there was a demand at his hospital.

“The government initially supplied us the vaccines free of cost between January and April. In May, it asked us to purchase the vaccines through them. Now, they want us to buy them directly from the manufacturers. The frequent change in policy is delaying the whole exercise and causing an impediment in the vaccination drive,” said Dr Singh.

A couple of days ago, the Ruban Hospital paid ₹30 lakh to the manufacturers, but is yet to hear from them about the supply of vaccines.

As per the government’s revised policy, private facilities now have to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers by paying them in advance. Till June, the government wanted them to route it through its NHA portal, after having supplied the vaccines free between January and April.

Ten private centres, which applied through the NHA, did not get any vaccine in July. That left Bihar short of its scheduled allocation of vaccines, as it received 8,686,400 doses against an allotment of 9,181,930 for July. Most of these centres have not applies for vaccines again.

The 8,686,400 doses of vaccines the state received last month was against the 6,886,450 doses allocated by the Centre for administering through government facilities.

“We hardly received any vaccines against the 2,295,480 doses allocated through private channels, as per the vaccine supply schedule communicated to us early last month,” said an officer overseeing the vaccination programme in the state.

“Private facilities are wary of applying for vaccines and blocking their money as they are unsure of the demand, especially when the government is administering the vaccines free of cost at its centres, while private players are charging beneficiaries for the service,” said another government officer, requesting anonymity.

The government has capped the maximum per dose price at ₹780 for Covishield, ₹1,410 for Covaxin and ₹1,145 for Suptnik V at private centres.

The BIG Apollo Spectra, Paras-HMRI and Jai Prabha Medanta are the only three among 76 private facilities empanelled with the state government for Covid-19 vaccination presently engaged in the vaccination programme. They are, however, getting the vaccines through their corporate offices outside the state.

Bihar has set a target to inoculate its 72.2 million population by December 31, but has administered only 24.8 million doses so far.