Centre revises vaccine policy; healthcare, frontline workers to be prioritised

The guidelines also encourage the use of non-transferable electronic vouchers that can be redeemed at private vaccination centres, to enable people to financially support the vaccination of economically weaker sections at private vaccination centres

Even though the Central government revised its coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination policy to provide all vaccine doses free to states, it has advised them to prioritise free doses for healthcare workers, followed by frontline workers, citizens above 45 years, and citizens above 18 years whose second dose is due, according to the revised guidelines for implementation of national Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Representational image. (REUTERS)

The guidelines also encourage the use of non-transferable electronic vouchers that can be redeemed at private vaccination centres, to enable people to financially support the vaccination of economically weaker sections at private vaccination centres. The guidelines have been accessed by HT.

“Within the population group of citizens more than 18 years of age, States/UTs may decide their own prioritization factoring in the vaccine supply schedule. Vaccine doses provided free of cost by Government of India will be allocated to States/UTs based on criteria such as population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination. Wastage of vaccine will affect the allocation negatively,” the guidelines say.

The government of India will provide states and Union territories advance information of vaccine doses to be supplied to them. States will have the flexibility to further allocate doses well in advance to districts and vaccination centres.

States have been advised to put information in the public domain about the availability at district and vaccination centre level, and widely disseminate it among the local population,

In order to incentivise production by vaccine manufacturers and encourage new vaccines, domestic vaccine manufacturers have been given the option to also provide vaccines directly to private hospitals.

“This would be restricted to 25% of their monthly production. States/UTs would aggregate the demand of private hospitals keeping in view equitable distribution between large and small private hospitals and regional balance. Based on this aggregated demand, Government of India will facilitate supply of these vaccines to the private hospitals and their payment through the National Health Authority’s electronic platform. This would enable the smaller and remoter private hospitals to obtain timely supply of vaccines, and further equitable access and regional balance,” the guidelines said.

Each vaccine manufacturer will declare the price of vaccine doses for private hospitals, and any subsequent changes would be notified in advance. The price to offer the service has been capped by the government at a maximum of ₹150 per dose as service charge.

State governments have been directed to monitor the amount that private hospitals are charging. While all citizens irrespective of their income status are entitled to free vaccination, the government encourages those with the ability to pay to use private hospital’s vaccination centres.

The revised guidelines will come into effect from June 21, 2021, and will be open to review.