Centre directs states, UTs to take action against institutions giving COVID vaccination package with hotels

The central government on Saturday stated that the COVID-19 vaccination packages being offered by private hospitals in collaboration with various hotels are against the guidelines and directed the states and union territories to initiate legal or administrative action against violators.

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New Delhi: The central government, in a notice addressed to the states and union territories, on Saturday (May 29, 2021) stated that the COVID-19 vaccination packages being offered by private hospitals in collaboration with various hotels are against the guidelines issued for the National Covid Vaccination Programme. 

The Centre have also directed the states and union territories to initiate legal or administrative action against institutions involved in such practices. 

In a letter, the 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 package for Covid vaccination in collaboration with some hotels, which is against the guidelines issued for the National Covid Vaccination Program.”

Apart from government Covid vaccination centre and private Covid vaccination centre, workplace, near home Covid vaccination centre for elderly and differently-abled persons to be organised at group housing societies, there are no other avenues to carry out vaccination under the national Covid Vaccination Program so vaccination carried out in star hotels is contrary to the guidelines and must be stopped immediately, Agnani was quoted as saying in the letter.

"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. 

Meanwhile, India on Saturday recorded over 1,73,790 new infections, 3,617 coronavirus-related fatalities in the last 24 hours, which took the overall caseload to 2.77 crores.

(With Agency inputs)