India’s Revised Covid-19 Vaccination Policy

Why in news?

Indian Prime Minster recently announced the shift to centralised procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

How was it earlier?

From January 16 to April 30, 2021, the Centre had procured and allocated vaccine doses to the states.
This was available for free vaccination of three priority groups.
These were healthcare workers, frontline workers, and persons above the age of 45.
From May 2021, States were allowed to procure 25% of the vaccines manufactured and the Centre, 50%.
[States had to procure 25% of the doses from the open market to vaccinate the 18-44 year age group.]

What is the new policy?

Procurement - From June 21, 2021, the Centre will be directly procuring 75% of the doses manufactured.
It will distribute this among the states.
Vaccines will continue to be free for all those who choose to get their shot at government centres.
Private centres - Private hospitals will have exclusive access to the remaining 25%.
However, private centres can charge only Rs 150 as service charge over and above the vaccine price.
The maximum vaccine price is Rs 780 for Covishield, Rs 1,410 for Covaxin and Rs 1,145 for Sputnik V.
Distribution - The vaccines will be allocated to the states based on three positive metrics.
These are population, disease burden and the progress of vaccination.
One negative metric will be the wastage of vaccines.
A state reporting good vaccination coverage will get a higher number of doses.
On the other hand, a state recording a higher wastage will receive a lower number.

Why is the course correction now?

The Supreme Court had termed the earlier vaccine policy “irrational and arbitrary”.
Several states had faced difficulties in procuring and managing the funding of vaccines.
The Centre saw itself desperately short of supply right in the middle of India’s deadly second wave.
The hospital emergencies worsened the Centre’s panic.
So it has taken up the responsibility of directly buying vaccines to States.
The course correction in vaccine policy should help improve India’s response to the pandemic.

Source: The Hindu, The Indian Express