Free vaccinations will cost Telangana Rs 2,100 crore, estimates reveal

HYDERABAD: Going by the preliminary estimates, the state government will have to spend Rs 2,100 crore for providing free Covid-19 vaccination to people between 18-44 years of age.
The health department began by assessing the number of beneficiaries district-wise in this age group. Assuming that the cost of each vaccine dose would be around Rs 400, with a population of 2.62 crore, the state has to spend Rs 800 on each person.

In the past, health minister Eatala Rajender had announced vaccines will be provided free of cost to everyone and on Thursday, he mentioned different pricing of vaccine for state and Central governments. Sources said internally, there is discussion whether to provide vaccine at a subsidised price for some and give it free-of-cost to others. If the vaccine is provided free-of-cost on income basis, then beneficiaries of white ration cards or Asara pension may be selected.
There is also the thought that in the age group of 18- 44, about 30% of the population may prefer vaccination in private centers. Then, cost of the vaccination would be around Rs 1,200 crore. However, the Centre has announced that free vaccination for people above 45 years under National Health Mission (NHM) will be continued by them.
Sources say that government will take the final decision next week and may likely announce vaccination for free as civic polls are appproaching and many states have already announced free vaccination.
The state government has stated that it has the capacity to give vaccine to 10 lakh people daily but is able to give around one lakh doses only, adding it has scaled up the capacity to 2 lakh people. Till now, around 36 lakh people have received vaccine doses and five lakh people have completed second dose also. There are about 3 lakh frontline workers in the state who have received vaccine doses.