COVID-19: Act against hospitals vaccinating people below 45, Centre tells Delhi govt
Delhi govt. issued a show cause notice to Bensups Hospital in Sector-12 of Dwarka also for a similar violation on Central government's recommendation.
New Delhi: The Centre has flagged the issue of violation of Covid-19 vaccination guidelines in the national capital and written to state government for required action in the matter.
Taking exception to a private hospital registering people younger than the age of 45 for the coronavirus vaccine shots, Centre has asked state govt to issue notice to the healthcare facility and also take action if satisfactory response is not furnished.
In a letter to the principal secretary (health) of Delhi govt, the Centre has asked it to issue show-cause notice to Vidyasagar Institute of Mental Health, Neuro & Allied Sciences, or VIMHANS for breaking the guidelines.
“VIMHANS has been found to register beneficiaries below the age of 45 years as healthcare workers and frontline workers, and vaccinate them,” the letter from Union Health Ministry said.
Penalty on hospital for ‘breach of protocol’
Union Health Ministry has also directed the Delhi govt. to impose a penalty on VIMHANS and if the explanation given by them is found to be unsatisfactory, then de-panelment of the hospital should be considered. According to the health ministry, VIMHANS will bee given 48 hours to reply on this matter.
Recently, the government gave go-ahead to 3rd phase of COVID-19 vaccination drive in which all citizens above the age of 45 were made eligible to get vaccinated. In first phase, only healthcare workers and frontline workers received the vaccine. While the second phase was for senior citizens and 45+ people with co-morbidities.
The violation in vaccination guidelines was found in the hospital’s data on CoWIN portal. CoWIN is the portal where people register themselves for getting vaccinated and their data is stored.
“The CoWIN sample data (March 19-April 3) of vaccinated beneficiaries from this private CVC [covid vaccination centre] verified by the health ministry revealed that many beneficiaries lie outside the ambit of eligible beneficiaries,” the letter of health ministry stated.
The letter mentioned the vaccines as a “precious commodity” and that lapses in following the guidelines might affect the country-wide vaccination drive.
In similar incident, Delhi government has issued showcause notice to Bensups Hospital in Sector-12 of Dwarka for violation of Covid-19 vaccination guidelines.