RWAs’ vax camps hit roadblocks over price, no second dose assurance

Gurgaon: Vaccination camps RWAs have been organising in collaboration with private hospitals have run into various stumbling blocks like unavailability of dates, some hospitals seeking guarantees of a minimum turnout of 250, lack of an assurance about the second dose for the 45-plus and disagreements on advance payments.
Because of the vaccine shortage at government sites and unavailability of slots on Co-WIN, scores of RWAs have opted for paid vaccinations and contacted private hospitals to set up camps. But the terms some hospitals are setting, besides the different rates that they are charging for the vaccine shots, have upset many RWAs. At the same time, private vaccinations seem the quickest way to build immunity against the pandemic because few doses are available at government sites, particularly for the 18-44 group.
RWAs said hospitals are also refusing to provide written assurances of refunding the advance amount in case the camp is not held for any reason. “Private hospitals have put up several terms and conditions for organising vaccination camps which are unreasonable. While one hospital has no dates available till June-end, others are demanding 100% advance payment at Rs 1,200 per shot with a guarantee of a minimum of 250 residents eligible for vaccination,” said Mamta Yadav, president of Vatika Seven Lamps RWA.
Some hospitals are also insisting that they will provide only the first dose and not the second dose, they alleged. Vishal Talus, general secretary of The Nile RWA, said: “The district administration has expressed its inability to hold vaccination camps for condominiums at present. Private hospitals are ready to organise a camp here, but they are insisting on providing just the first dose for the 18-plus, not the second dose for the 45-plus.”
Moreover, various hospitals are charging different prices for the same vaccine. While the manufacturers are supplying Covishield at Rs 600 per dose and Covaxin at Rs 1,200 per dose to private hospitals, they are in turn charging RWAs anywhere between Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,450 per dose.
“When they are getting vaccines at lower rates, then they should at least provide jabs with a nominal processing fee, not make huge profits. The administration should intervene and cap the charges,” said Dhruv Bansal, spokesperson of Qutub Enclave RWA.
Private hospitals, meanwhile, said since there is a shortage of vaccine supply, they have adopted such policies to minimise wastage. “We wish to ensure that people who are interested in getting vaccinated turn up at the camp on the scheduled day so that no doses are wasted,” a representative of a leading private hospital said.