Punjab govt’s vaccine profiteering order faces big backlash, withdrawn after Union Health Ministry discover

After a giant political uproar over the Punjab authorities’s order that attracted allegations of profiteering from “one-time limited vaccine doses to 18-44 age group population through private hospitals”, the order has been withdrawn. The order for withdrawal of the inventory was given on June 4 (Friday).
The order of offering one time restricted vaccine doses to 18-44 years age group inhabitants by non-public hospitals is withdrawn. Private hospitals ought to return all vaccine doses obtainable with them: Punjab Government pic.twitter.com/BXnNVgiB8o— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2021
A letter signed by Vikas Garg, the state-in-charge for vaccination, stated the order “has not been taken in the right spirit and is hereby withdrawn”.
“Further, it has been decided that the private hospitals should return forthwith all the vaccine doses available with them. The doses which they have utilised as of date should also be returned, once they get supplies from the manufacturers,” the order added.
Principal Secretary Hussan Lal stated the federal government had provided 40,000 doses and just one,000 have been administered by non-public hospitals. “We have taken back the remaining stock,” he stated.
Union Health Ministry seeks response from Punjab Govt over allegation of ‘vaccine profiteering’
Just hours earlier than, the Union Health Ministry had requested a response from the state. Referring to a report by NDTV, dated June 4, 2021, which acknowledged that the Congress authorities in Punjab bought Covaxin purchased by the state to personal hospitals and earned Rs 600 per dose within the course of, the Union Health Ministry requested the Punjab Government to substantiate the veracity of the information.
.@MoHFW_INDIA seeks response from Punjab GOVT on stories of Covid Vaccine profiteering pic.twitter.com/POkaSo98pj— Payal Mehta/પાયલ મેહતા/ पायल मेहता/ পাযেল মেহতা (@payalmehta100) June 4, 2021
The Union Health Ministry had informed the state govt that the profiteering is in opposition to the Liberized Pricing and Accelerated National Covid-19 Vaccination Policy. They had sought fast response from the state authorities over the matter.
Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal was the primary to carry the matter to the fore
The NDTV report was based mostly on a Tweet by Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal, who stated Thursday acknowledged that “vaccines procured at Rs 400 per dose (are being) sold to private hospitals for RS 1,060” – a “hefty margin” of Rs 660 per dose.
The Akali Dal chief had questioned Rahul Gandhi, who had batted without cost vaccines for all. He requested the Congress chief to reply why a standard man is being pressured to pay Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 for a single vaccine dose for his household in his celebration dominated state. “He should tell if he supports Punjab govt decision to force ppl to get vaccine doses for Rs 1560”, Tweeted Sukhbir Singh Badal.
.@RahulGandhi who has demanded free vaccines for all ought to inform what he has to say to a standard man pressured to pay Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 for a single vaccine dose for his household. He ought to inform if he helps Punjab govt determination to pressure ppl to get vaccine doses for Rs 1560. 3/4 pic.twitter.com/XTCzajRhyU— Sukhbir Singh Badal (@officeofssbadal) June 3, 2021
It is pertinent to notice right here that the Punjab Congress administration has been accused of profiting Rs 660 per dosage by promoting government-supplied vaccinations to personal clinics within the state underneath the guise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In addition, as a result of the buyer pays Rs 1,560 for every jab, the non-public hospital makes a revenue of Rs 500 for each injection.
According to stories, the Punjab authorities provided at the least 20,000 vials of Covaxin to personal hospitals all through the state underneath the guise of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at a price of Rs.1,060 per dosage. It was bought from a batch of 1 lakh vials procured by the govt. on the price of Rs 400 per dose, the speed fastened by Bharat Biotech for state governments.
The state govt has justified the upper worth charged from non-public hospitals by saying that they must pay that worth if that they had bought the vaccine from the producer immediately.