COVID-19 vaccination will be provided for free at government facilities: Health Ministry

New Delhi: The coronavirus vaccination at government facilities will be provided for free and the cost will be borne by the Central government, the Union Health Ministry announced on Saturday (February 27, 2021) whereas at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Health Ministry Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, "Vaccination at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling whereas vaccination at government facilities is totally free, the cost being borne by Central government."

Vaccination at private facilities will be charged subject to a financial ceiling whereas vaccination at government facilities is totally free, the cost being borne by Central government: Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Health Ministry#COVID19 https://t.co/ubHJaEuFld — ANI (@ANI) February 27, 2021

Vaccination at government facilities will be free of cost, while the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine at private hospitals has been capped at Rs 250 per dose, including Rs 100 as a service charge, official sources were quoted as saying by ANI.

While, the participation of Private Sector in the innoculation drive has been scaled up with around 10,000 hospitals under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS to be used by states as COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs). 

In a press release the Health Ministry stated that states have been given freedom to use all private hospitals empanelled under State Government Health Insurance Schemes as CVCs. Also, states can use Health Facilities of all PSUs and all Government Health Facilities as CVCs. 

The private hospitals functioning as CVCs may recover a charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose.