The Union government has asked states and union territories to initiate legal or administrative action against institutions which are giving special packages for COVID-19 vaccination in collaboration with hotels in violation of prescribed guidelines. In a letter to all states and UTs, Additional Secretary to Health ministry Manohar Agnani said it has come to the notice of the Union health ministry that some private hospitals are giving a package for COVID-19 vaccination in collaboration with some hotels, which is against the guidelines issued for the National Covid Vaccination Program.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has said that there are only four options available to hold COVID-19 vaccinations — it could be a government COVID-19 Vaccination Centre or a private COVID-19 Vaccination Centre run by a private hospital. The other two options are to set up COVID Covid Vaccination Centre at workplaces, where the vaccination at government offices will be run by government hospitals and vaccination drives at private companies will be run by private hospitals. The fourth option allowed is setting up temporary ‘Near to Home’ COVID-19 Vaccination Centres for the elderly and those persons living with physical difficulties, which can be organised at group housing societies, offices of Resident Welfare Associations, community centres, Panchayat Bhawans, Schools/Colleges, Old Age Homes. These can be set up on a temporary basis.
The Union government has said that apart from this there are no other avenues to carry out vaccination under national Covid Vaccination Program, therefore vaccination carried out in star hotels is contrary to the guidelines and must be stopped immediately.
Hotels offering COVID "vaccination packages" is against the law, says @MoHFW_INDIA. Tells authorities to take action against such hotels. pic.twitter.com/jRRoGPGoJk
— Sanyukta (@dramadhikari) May 29, 2021
"Necessary legal and administrative actions should be initiated against such institutions. Therefore, you are also requested to monitor and ensure that the National Covid Vaccination drive is carried out as per the prescribed guidelines," he added.
The directive comes days after an image of a luxury hotel in Hyderabad offering a vaccination package worth Rs 2,999 — including charges of the dose — went viral on social media. An image of Radisson Blu Hotel’s advertised the Rs 2,999 vaccination package which listed ‘Comfortable stay, Vaccination by experts from a renowned hospital, Enjoy a healthy breakfast & dinner (Included in package), Clinical consultation on request, Wi-Fi available,” as inclusions in the package. Later, more such images sprung up, including a picture of Bengaluru’s Columbia Asia offering a vaccination package for getting a Covishield dose and hotel stay at Rs 1,700 plus GST. After backlash online, many hotels withdrew the offers.
The rich get their vaccines in 5 star hotels, the poor don't even have internet to get the vaccine. Thanks to Aadhaar based public private model of vaccination lead by cowin, proposed, designed by Nilekani, to be exported by UNDP across the world. pic.twitter.com/XBwOlUiAW1
— Srinivas Kodali (@digitaldutta) May 28, 2021