New Delhi: The government has set the maximum price private hospitals can charge for the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the country -- Covishield Rs 780 per dose, Covaxin Rs 1,410 and Sputnik V Rs 1,145.
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 maximum price of Covishield for private COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (CVCs) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, while that of Covaxin is Rs 1,410 per dose and Sputnik V Rs 1,145 per dose, it said.
The Health Ministry 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 Rupees 150 per dose as service charges. State governments may monitor the price being so charged," the ministry said.
The ministry 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 CoWin website will be showing the validations to ensure that the private COVID vaccination centres (CVCs) do not exceed the maximum price declared by the government.
The website will reset the prices declared by the private CVCs to the maximum value. It may be noted that the maximum prices indicated above have been worked out on the basis of the prices per dose declared by the manufacturers and can suitably be modified in future in case any manufacturer declared changed prices," the statement said.
The maximum price includes taxes as well as the service charge.
India's COVID-19 vaccine coverage reaches 23.88 crore
The latest development comes just as the cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country reached 23.88 crores.
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday said 13,32,471 beneficiaries in the age group of 18-44 years received their first dose and 76,723 beneficiaries of the same age group received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine during the day.
Cumulatively, 3,17,37,869 people in the same age group across states and union territories have received their first dose and 3,16,134 their second dose since the start of Phase-3 of the vaccination drive.
Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have administered more than 10 lakh beneficiaries of the age group 18-44 years for the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the ministry said.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has reached 23,88,40,635, according to the 7 pm provisional report.
This total of 23,88,40,635 beneficiaries includes 99,95,552 healthcare workers who have taken the first dose and 68,91,662 such workers who have taken the second dose. As many as 1,63,80,521 frontline workers have received the first dose and 87,26,071 such workers have taken the second dose.
Also, 3,17,37,869 and 3,16,134 individuals in the 18-44 age group have received the first and second dose respectively.
Besides, 7,25,46,765 and 1,15,34,478 beneficiaries aged over 45 to 60 years old have been administered the first and second dose respectively while 6,12,75,505 and 1,94,36,078 beneficiaries aged above 60 years have taken the first and second dose.
As on the 144th day of the vaccination drive, 25,58,652 doses were given.
The ministry said 22,67,842 beneficiaries were vaccinated for the first dose and 2,90,810 beneficiaries received the second dose of vaccine, according to the provisional report till 7 PM.
Final reports would be completed for the day by late night.
The vaccination exercise as a tool to protect the most vulnerable population groups in the country from COVID-19 continues to be regularly reviewed and monitored at the highest level, the ministry underlined.
(With inputs from PTI)
