CII Kerala for private sector entry in Covid-19 vaccination drive

India started its national vaccination programme on Jan 16; only 1,11,16,854 vaccine doses administered as on Feb 21, making for coverage of 0.60% against the global average of 2.26%.

A multi-pronged public-private partnership (PPP) model is needed to rev up the Covid-19 vaccination drive wherein private hospitals could be permitted to administer vaccines so as to cover the maximum size of population in the shortest possible time, according to CII, Kerala State Council.

Thomas John Muthoot, Chairman, CII Kerala State Council, and Chairman and Managing Director, Muthoot FinCorp, said that the speed of vaccine administration can be enhanced if the private sector is also involved in the process. CII Kerala has requested the State government to recommend this to the Centre.

Coverage Lags Global Numbers

The country had started its national vaccination programme on January 16, but only 1,11,16,854 vaccine doses have been administered as on February 21. This makes for a coverage of only 0.60 per cent of its population against the global average of 2.26 per cent, Thomas John Muthoot said.

Entry of private hospitals will not only help ramp up the numbers but also achieve faster the target of vaccinating priority groups. As part of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the CII proposed that companies be allowed to vaccinate employees and their immediate family and assist in rolling out the vaccine in surrounding communities as well.

Coverage of Employees Proposed

The CII has constituted a high-level taskforce on Covid-19 vaccines with the objective of galvanising industry support for inoculation of employees of member companies as well as for CSR intervention in the neighbourhood. It estimates that the entry of the private sector will result in the inoculation of an additional 10 crore workers in the formal sector.

Greater participation from industry would also ensure minimum wastage of vaccines and expeditious delivery in an equitable and accessible manner. A large cohort of those willing to take the vaccine would ensure that these are fully utilised well within the expiry period, Thomas John Muthoot said.

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