Private hospitals rate capped for jab: Covishield at Rs 780, Covaxin at Rs 1,410
New Delhi: The Union Health ministry on Tuesday announced a price cap for the administration of Covid-19 vaccines in private hospitals.
While the maximum price for Covaxin and Covishield has been fixed at Rs 1,410 and Rs 780 per dose respectively, Russia's Sputnik V vaccine will cost Rs 1,145 per dose in private hospitals.
In a letter to all states and Union Territories on Tuesday, the Health ministry suggested that appropriate strict action be taken against private vaccination centres for overcharging.
The ministry also asked states to ensure that the prices declared by various private CVCs do not exceed the ceiling.
"The private hospitals may charge up to a maximum of Rs 150 per dose as service charges. State governments may monitor the price being so charged," it added.
It also requested states and Union Territories to regularly monitor the prices being charged by the private CVCs from the citizens.
"It is also requested that wherever instances of overcharging as compared to the price declared by the CVC come to notice, appropriate strict action is taken against any such private CVCs," it said.
The ministry even added that steps are being taken to put the required validations by the CoWIN portal to make sure that prices declared by several private Covid-19 vaccination centres do not exceed that mandated by the government.
Pune-based Serum Institute of India's Covishield costs Rs 600 per dose as declared by the company with a GST of Rs 30 and a service charge of Rs 150, resulting in fixing the price to not more than Rs 780 for a jab. Sputnik, manufactured by several manufacturers like Gland Pharma, Hetero Biopharma, Panacea Biotec, Stelis Biopharma and Virchow Biotech in partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), has set the price at Rs 948. With a GST of Rs 47.40 and a service charge of Rs 150, a beneficiary will have to pay Rs 1,145.
Bharat Biotech's Covaxin costs Rs 1,200 per dose as declared by the Hyderabad-based pharma giant. The GST on Covaxin is Rs 70 and with Rs 150 service charge levied, it will cost Rs 1,410.
The Centre on Tuesday said it has placed fresh orders for 44 crore doses of Covishield and Covaxin after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Centre would take over the state procurement quota and provide free jabs to state governments for inoculation of all above the age of 18.
These 44 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be available till December 2021, starting now, the ministry maintained.
"In immediate follow-up of the Prime Minister's announcement of these changes in the Guidelines of National COVID Vaccination programme yesterday, the Centre has placed an order with Serum Institute of India for 25 crore doses of Covishield and with Bharat Biotech for 19 crore doses of Covaxin.
"Additionally, 30 per cent of the advance for procurement of both the COVID-19 vaccines has been released to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech," an official said.
"The government has also placed an order to purchase 30 crore doses of Biological E's vaccine, which will be available by September," Dr VK Paul, Member-Health, Niti Aayog, said during a press briefing.
