You can complain to BMC if charged more for your vaccine

A senior citizen gets a dose of Covishield at Sree Cinema BMC health post in Mahim on Friday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Days after the Centre capped the cost of vaccines at private facilities, the BMC on Friday appealed to citizens, housing societies and companies to report to it if they are overcharged. It asked the public to write to it on complaint.epimumbai@gmail.com. Vaccines will continue to be given for free at municipal centres.

On June 8, the central government said that private centres can collect the rate paid to the manufacturer, a GST of 5 per cent and a maximum service charge of Rs 150 from the beneficiaries. This means a private hospital can charge a maximum Rs 780 for one dose of Covishield, Rs 1,410 for a Covaxin jab and Rs 1,145 for a shot of Sputnik V.

"Citizens will be notified from time to time if there is a change in the rates fixed by the government. Private vaccination centers are informed that the vaccination fee should be charged as per the rates mentioned [by the Centre]. Strict legal action will be taken if unreasonable charges are levied," said a civic official.

Meanwhile, On Friday, 53,427 beneficiaries were inoculated at civic, government and private centers. As per numbers released by the BMC, 41,144 shots were administered at private centres. Three cases of adverse effects were reported.

Mumbai has so far inoculated 39,47,422 people of which 8,08,214 have been fully vaccinated. There were 38,682 beneficiaries in the age-group of 18-44, while 43 lactating mothers were vaccinated on Friday. The turnout of senior citizens was 4,997 and those aged 45 and above who received the jabs were 9,379. The number of healthcare workers that were administered vaccine shots was 205 and that of the front line workers was 121.

41,444
No. of shots administered at private centres on Friday