Odisha Govt Fixes Rs 100 As Vaccination Charge In Pvt Hospitals

Bhubaneswar: In order to ramp up the vaccination drive in the State, Odisha government on Thursday said that people interested to inoculate themselves against Covid-19 at private hospitals can do so by depositing just Rs 100 as administration charges.

Odisha Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Pradeepta Mohapatra informed during a press meet that private hospitals will carry out State govt’s free vaccination programme with an administration fee of Rs 100/per dose.

In another major development, the State government has made it clear that vaccination drive will be carried out in urban areas first due to the concentration of more virus infections in the cities and towns.

ACS PK Mohapatra said that people who had received first dose of Covid vaccines by paying the requisite fees at private hospitals by April 30 can take their second jabs at government vaccination centres free of cost.

It may be mentioned State governments including Odisha are now not releasing vaccines to private hospitals for administration to people but rather the private organizations have been permitted to directly procure the vaccines from suppliers.

Mohapatra informed that so far a total of 97% healthcare workers have been administered first dose of Covid vaccines while around 87 % of the total have received second dose of vaccine.

In total, 97% of frontline Corona warriors have already received first phase jabs while 85% have been fully vaccinated by now, he said.

Out of the 1.16 crore people of 45 years and above, 43.55 lakh people have been administered first dose of vaccine out of which 23.43 lakh beneficiaries have received second doses.

Covaxin is being used only in the jurisdiction of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation and there is no problem in administering its second doses but the problem lies with Covishied since it is being administered in all the 30 districts barring BMC and there is an inadequate supply of the vaccines by the Centre.

The ACS informed that Odisha government has requested the Centre to release 15 lakh vaccines as soon as possible. We had received lakh doses on Tuesday but by May 15 we may get 6 to 7 lakh vaccine doses.

Newly registered people will not be administered the vaccines now. They should only register their names and we will a allot slots accordingly. But right now, the second dose expectants will be given priority for vaccinations, Mohapatra said.