At present, vaccination centres across the country can only vaccinate people aged 45 and above. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has written to the Delhi government to take action against a private hospital in the city for flouting vaccination rules by administering doses to people below the age of 45. At present, vaccination centres across the country can only vaccinate people aged 45 and above.
In a letter to Principal Secretary (Health), Delhi government, the Ministry pointed out that there have been serious lapses in registration of beneficiaries by VIMHANS (Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, Neuro & Allied Sciences), located in Northeast Delhi’s Nehru Nagar area, operating as a private Covid vaccination centre. VIMHANS has been found registering beneficiaries below the age of 45 as healthcare and frontline workers and vaccinating them, it stated.
VIMHANS medical superintendent Ubaid Hamid, however, said: “We haven’t received any communication from the government yet. But all guidelines issued by the Ministry have been taken into consideration during the vaccination process.”
According to officials, sample data from the Cowin portal (between March 19 and April 3) of vaccinated beneficiaries from VIMHANS, verified by the Health Ministry, revealed that many beneficiaries lie outside the ambit of eligible beneficiaries (not under the identified priority populations groups) — in violation of the guidelines laid down by the Union Health Ministry.
“Noting that vaccines are a precious commodity, these serious lapses at the VIMHANS CVC in terms of compliance of Covid-19 vaccination guidelines harm the country-wide vaccination exercise as eligible beneficiaries may get deprived from vaccination. The Delhi administration has been asked to immediately issue a show cause notice to VIMHANS regarding such wrong practices which violate Covid-19 vaccination norms, and seek a written explanation from them within the next 48 hours. Appropriate monetary fine may also be imposed on the hospital. Further, it has been suggested that de-panelment of the hospital may be considered if the explanation to the show cause notice is found unsatisfactory,” the Ministry said in a statement issued on Monday.
In another case, the Delhi government, in pursuance of the advice from the Union Health Ministry, has issued a show cause notice to Bensups Hospital, Dwarka Sector-12, for alleged violation of vaccination guidelines.
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