Covid-19 Vaccination, Phase 2: More Private Hospitals Allowed To Act As Vaccination Sites

Covid-19 Vaccination Drive: The ministry also allowed the private hospitals which are not under empaneeled under AB-PMJAY, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and State Insurance Schemes to be utilised as coronavirus vaccination centres (CVCs).

Thane: Elderly people wait for their turn to get vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine, at a vaccination center in Thane, Tuesday, March 02, 2021. The vaccination drive in the country was expanded from Monday to include people above 60 years of age and those aged between 45 and 59 who have co-morbidities. (PTI Photo)

After the second phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive in India was rolled on Monday for the elderly citizens and those with co-morbidities, the central government on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with states to discuss the role of private hospitals to act as Covid Vaccination Centres.

In the second phase, those over 60 years and within the age bracket of 45 to 59 years with specified co-morbidities will get the jabs from March 1. Also Read: Major Blow To CM Mamata Ahead Of Bengal Polls, Pandabeswar TMC Legislator Jitendra Tiwari Joins BJP

How the government is pushing the vaccination drive?

Under the largest vaccination drive, the health ministry urged the states/UTs to utilise 100% capacities of all private hospitals under the said category to enable them to effectively function as vaccination centres.

The ministry also allowed the private hospitals which are not under empaneeled under AB-PMJAY, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and State Insurance Schemes to be utilised as coronavirus vaccination centres (CVCs).

In a statement the ministry said, "If they have adequate number of vaccinators, adequate space for observation of the vaccinated, adequate cold chain arrangement and adequate arrangement for management of AEFI." States/UTs can proactively make efforts to use these private hospitals as CVCs.”

On the other hand, the government has assured that it has adequate stock of Covid-19 vaccines and will provide the required vaccine doses to the states and UTs.

It is to be noted that a list of all these private hospitals were already uploaded on the website of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and National Health Authority. These can be accessed at:

 https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/CGHSEmphospitals.xlsx

https://www.mohfw.gov.in/pdf/PMJAYPRIVATEHOSPITALSCONSOLIDATED.xlsx

Meanwhile, the cumulative number of vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 1.54 Crore on Tuesday till 7 PM. A total of 6,09,845vaccine doses were given till 7 PM on the 46th day of nationwide vaccination drive.

Around 12,286 new Covid-19 cases and 91 deaths were reported in India in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Tuesday. With this, the total number of cases reported in the country now stands at 1,11,24,527, including 1,68,358 active cases and 1,07,98,921 recoveries.