New Vaccine Policy Puts Private Bengal Hospitals In A Spot Of Bother

The government had supplied the doses for the first two phases, but under the Centre's new vaccine policy, this has changed.

West Bengal's private hospitals are increasingly worried about the phase III Covid vaccination drive beginning May 1. They have been asked to procure the doses directly from manufacturers and return to the government any remaining stocks after April 30. If they fail to procure fresh stocks from the vaccine-makers and are forced to stop the process of vaccination, "that has to be communicated to citizens through a public notice to avoid harassment", a government advisory dated April 26 has said. "I would request you to immediately take up the matter with the relevant vaccine manufacturers...The state government shall continue to offer any facilitation as may be required for the purpose," the advisory said.   The government had supplied the doses for the first two phases. But under the Centre's Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, this has changed.