The government is mulling over reducing the 25% vaccine quota for private hospitals amid low vaccination at private facilities. The Centre has even started collecting 7-9% of the unused vaccines lying with private hospitals to use at government facilities.
It may no longer be mandatory for vaccine manufacturing companies to reserve 25% of the total vaccine production for private hospitals/companies. This was being anticipated in view of the slow vaccination pace at private hospitals over the last two-three months.
Responding to BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi's query in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, on the government's plan to reduce the vaccine quota to private hospitals, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that it was not necessary as the unused vaccine quota of the private hospitals is being taken by the government.
Mandaviya said that it has been noticed in the last one month that the private sector’s procurement and vaccination is between 7% to 9% of the provided quota.
The minister further clarified that the government has spoken to the manufacturing companies and asked them to provide the quantity of doses required by the private sector.
There is no need to keep 25% reserve quota in the name of private sector/hospital. This means, the supplies should be made on the basis of doses ordered and the rest of the volumes be supplied to the government for free vaccination drive in states.
Earlier, several chief ministers had also requested PM Narendra Modi to change the allocation of doses given to private hospitals as the utilisation has been found to be less than 25%.
The Centre is buying 75% of the vaccine produced to give free jabs to people, while 25% is allocated for the private sector.