TN readies to purchase 12L vaccines from private sector

TN readies to purchase 12L vaccines from private sector

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:24.07.2021

The state health department is working out plans to purchase the 12 lakh doses of anti-covid vaccines allotted to the private sector in Tamil Nadu in the next eight days utilising CSR funds so people can be vaccinated free of cost, health minister Ma Subramanian said here on Friday.

The minister held a consultation meeting with doctors and hospital administrators from122 hospitals in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Tirupathur and Ranipet to discuss the number of vaccines they can procure under CSR funds. Earlier in the week, the minister met doctors and hospital administrators in the Western districts. Senior officials from the directorate of public health were a part of the meeting.

Since June 21, the centre has decided that it will purchase 75% of the vaccines produced in the country and allot them to the state for the free vaccination programme. The remaining 25% of vaccines are purchased by private hospitals. For July, Tamil Nadu has been allotted 72 lakh doses of the vaccine of which 17 lakh is earmarked for private hospitals. “So far private hospitals have paid money for 5 lakh doses of which they have received 2.42 lakh doses. They are still left with12 lakh doses of vaccine, which should be purchased by the end of the month. We want to ensure that we use all the vaccines allotted to the state,” Subramanian said.

Although people are willing to take the vaccine, many cannot afford the vaccine at private hospitals— ₹750 for Covishield and ₹1,400 for Covaxin, he said. Since May 1, private hospitals in the state have purchased 18.7 lakh doses of the vaccine, of which 13.3 lakh have been used. The state, meanwhile, has administered 1.8crore doses taking the dosage tally to 2crore – 16%. For the 6crore adult population, the state has to administer 12 crore doses. “While people who want to pay for their vaccines will still have the options open, those who want free vaccines can also avail them from private hospitals,” he said.