Private healthcare facilities in Bihar clueless on vaccine availability

At least 10 of the 76 private healthcare facilities empanelled with the Bihar government for Covid-19 vaccination drive said they were yet to receive vaccines despite having made advance payment through the government channel as per the revised procurement policy.

Ruban Patliputra hospital, Kurji Holy Family hospital, Netaji Subhash Medical College Hospital (NSMCH Bihta), SS hospital, Mediversal hospital, Mahavir Vatsalya, Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Medipark Healthcare Pvt Ltd, KP Sinha Super Specialty hospital and Shri Murlidhar Nursing Home are among these hospitals.

Two weeks after the vaccination policy changed on June 21 with states getting vaccines free of cost from the Central government and private players getting vaccines for a fee, the Centre revised supply guidelines.

“The Centre yesterday sent revised guidelines on vaccine procurement wherein the minimum consignment size for state supply has been fixed at 6,000 doses of Covishield and 2,880 doses of Covaxin. For each private facility, the minimum order should be for 500 doses of Covishield and 160 doses of Covaxin,” said Manoj Kumar, executive director of the State Health Society, Bihar.

Some centres like the SS Hospital have applied for as few as 10 doses of Covishield, which is effectively one vial of the vaccine. The NSMCH Bihta, and Medipark Healthcare have sought 50 doses only, as per government data.

Kumar said in light of the revised guidelines, private players that are seeking a low number of doses will be asked to revise their order.

Dr LB Singh, medical superintendent of the Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, said the institution had applied for 100 doses of vaccine initially on an experimental basis after the government asked them to prune their order.

“We had initially applied for 3,000 doses, but the state government asked us to procure vaccines in small quantities. We then decided to take only 100 doses on a trial basis,” said Dr Singh.

The Ruban Patliputra Hospital paid in advance for 1,000 doses of Covishield and 250 doses of Covaxin last week, but was in the dark about their supply.

“We have completed all formalities and paid in advance for 1,250 doses of vaccines, but do not know when we will get them,” said Dr Satyajit Kumar Singh, managing director of the hospital.

“Additionally, we are also trying to get 500 doses of Sputnik V through a private channel,” added Dr Singh.

Manoj Kumar admitted that none of the 76 private institutions empanelled on CoWIN portal have received vaccines through the government channel after June 21. He said there was no communication from the Centre or the vaccine manufacturers on the delay of supplies to private players.

BIG Apollo Spectra hospital, Paras-HMRI and Jai Prabha Medanta are the only three private hospitals in Patna inoculating people after managing to procure vaccines from private channels. Hindustan Times