COVID-19: How Maharashtra govt plans to vaccinate those above 18

From population computation to sourcing shots, Maharashtra, Mumbai gear up for massive drive

With everyone above the age of 18 becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination May 1 onwards, Maharashtra will have to vaccinate 5.5 crore more people. The state currently has over 3 crore eligible for vaccines as per the allotted categories. Mumbai will have 40 lakh more to be inoculated, taking its total to 80 lakh people.

Vaccine beneficiaries at Nair hospital on Monday. Pic/Ashish Raje

The projections are based on the estimated population of those aged above 18. Government officials said that as per census 2011, the 18-plus population of Maharashtra is 67.70 per cent. “If this proportion is applied to the estimated population of 2021, our above 18 population will be about 8.5 crore,” said a senior official.

Expensive programme

The programme is expected to be very expensive considering the huge quantity of vaccines the state would need, the price of the two made-in-India vaccines and the cost of imports if vaccines from abroad are bought. The third approved vaccine in India, Sputnik (Russian-made) is currently made abroad. It will be imported before manufacturing starts in India in a couple of months. The first batch is expected before the next phase starts on May 1.

The state Cabinet mulled various aspects of the expanded vaccination programme on Tuesday. According to Health Minister Rajesh Tope, the state will not rely only on the two made-in-India vaccines, but will also import the approved ones. “Money will not be a problem. We will divert development funds for this purpose because the young who go to work must be vaccinated at all cost,” Tope said.

Sources said the government will be under pressure to provide free of cost jabs to all eligible. Charges at private hospitals are likely to be capped. Currently, the vaccines are being provided by the Centre.

For those aged 45 and above, private hospitals can charge a maximum of Rs 250, which includes Rs 150 for the shot and Rs 100 as a service charge. Government facilities do it for free.

With the Centre’s decentralised policy, things will change from May 1. Indian companies are allowed to give 50 per cent of their stock to the states, which would pay them. There is no clarity on the mechanism to be followed by state governments for purchases within and outside India.

No orders so far

Maharashtra government hadn’t placed purchase orders with any manufacturer, Principal Secretary (public health) Dr Pradeep Vyas, told mid-day on Wednesday evening.  

On Wednesday, the Serum Institute of India announced Covishield’s price at Rs 400 per dose for governments and Rs 600 for private hospitals. It said the vaccines will be made available in retail and free trade after four or five months. The company advised all corporates and private individuals to access the vaccines through the state facilitated machinery and private health care system. SII chief CEO Adar Poonawala said buying the American (Rs 1,500/dose), Russian (Rs 750/dose) and Chinese (Rs 750/dose) vaccines will be expensive for stakeholders.

Sources said the state government would like to negotiate the price with Pune-based SII. The Centre has been buying vaccines at a subsidised rate of around Rs 200, which was later reduced to Rs 150.

Covaxin producer Bharat Biotech hasn’t priced its vaccine for states and private entities yet, but is expected to be competitive. Mumbai’s Haffkine Institute, which has been licensed to produce Covaxin, will need another eight to 10 months to start manufacturing. Haffkine’s vaccine-sharing formula hasn’t been decided by the state and Centre yet.

80L
No. of Mumbai people eligible from May 1

Rs 600
New cost of Covishield for pvt hospitals as announced by SII

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