Don’t make us lose focus: Private hospitals on direct purchase plan

The Association of Hospitals, with 53 hospitals from Mumbai and Pune as its members, on Thursday issued a statement saying the “government’s current vaccine purchase plan which forces each organisation to independently negotiate with the vaccine makers was defocusing private hospitals from patient care”.

Gautam Khanna, Association president and CEO of PD Hinduja Hospital, said, “The community around each hospital expects the hospitals to be a primary point of vaccine administration. In fact, the first round of vaccines provided to hospitals by the government has already been given to tens of thousands of patients by hospitals across the country. Several of such patients are anxious since their second dose is due. However, the change in the vaccine purchase policy, asking all organisations including hospitals to directly buy from the vaccine makers, is affecting supply and putting several thousands of patients at risk.”

He added that forcing smaller hospitals to negotiate a price with manufacturers has limited their bargaining power.