Punjab government not to supply vaccines to private hospitals
[ad_1]
Govt. withdraws earlier choice after Opposition criticism
Facing criticism from a number of quarters, the Punjab government on Friday determined to withdraw its choice of offering restricted COVID-19 vaccine doses to 18-44 age group folks via private hospitals.
Parties belonging to the Opposition, together with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accused the ruling Congress government in Punjab of promoting government quota vaccines at hefty revenue to private hospitals.
As the controversy raged, Punjab’s Health and Family Welfare division issued an order on June 4 withdrawing its earlier choice.
“The order of providing one-time limited vaccine dose to 18-44 years age group population through private hospitals has not been taken in the right spirit and is hereby withdrawn,” mentioned the order.
“Further, it has been decided that the private hospitals should return forthwith all the vaccine doses available with them. The amount deposited by the private hospitals in the vaccine fund shall be refunded to them,” it added.
Akali Dal seeks probe
Former Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had alleged that whereas vaccine doses had been obtainable within the State, they had been being bought to private establishments as an alternative of being given freed from price to the frequent man. “A Covaxin dose costing the State ₹400 was being sold to private institutions at ₹1,060. The private hospitals were further selling the dose at ₹1,560,” he alleged, demanding a High Court monitored probe into the matter.
Raghav Chadha, AAP Punjab affairs co-incharge, mentioned that the State government had dedicated a ‘vaccine scam’. He mentioned that due to the government’s apathy the folks had been being compelled to get vaccinated from private hospitals at an overblown worth.
[ad_2]