In view of successfully running the world’s largest Covid vaccination drive and built up capacity so far, the leading healthcare providers body, the Association of Healthcare Providers (India) or AHPI, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open up the vaccination for the rest of the population.

“While current provision for 60-plus and 45-plus with co-morbidity, can continue to be provided at a subsidised rate of Rs 250, the government may open up the vaccination through an open market to hospitals at a rate as deemed appropriate by the government. To begin with, such a facility may be set up at hospitals with 100-plus beds (nearly 3000), said AHPI president Alexander Thomas and Director General Dr Girdhar Gyani in a letter to the Prime Minister dated March 8.

“Once again we convey our gratitude for fast-tracking India’s vaccination drive by including the private sector, towards Covid-free India. We are currently doing close to 1.5 million doses every day, while we have the capacity to much more. Considering that we launched the vaccination for the 60-plus population on March 1 2021 through 24000 (including 1000 private) hospitals empanelled with PMJAY+CGHS, with 100-doses per centre, we can at least touch 2.4 million doses. In fact, with the government having allowed all private sector hospitals (there are close to 25000 private hospitals with 30+ beds), this capacity can easily go up by a huge margin, say 20-million per day,” the AHPI said.

According to AHPI, it is time to open up the vaccination for the rest of the population. While current provision for 60-plus and 45-plus with co-morbidity, can continue to be provided at a subsidised rate of Rs 250, the government may open up the vaccination through an open market to hospitals at a rate as deemed appropriate by the government, it recommended.

“We have nearly 3,000 hospitals with an over 100-bed capacity and to begin with such a facility may be set up at hospitals. As many enterprises will like to vaccinate their employees for exploiting the full potential of business operations,” suggested Dr Gyani.

Citing examples of the hotel industry, academic institutions, travel & tourism, banking sectors, AHPI said that with vaccination these sectors would be able to open up in full capacity. “Besides providing safety to their employees, it will provide a big boost to the economic revival of these sectors, which have otherwise undergone huge loss,” the AHPI added.

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