The Odisha government has urged the Centre to revise the ratio of vaccine allotment for government and private hospitals in view of low presence of private healthcare sector in Odisha.

Odisha has sought an increase of the government’s share of Covid-19 vaccine and demanded that the ratio of vaccine allocation between the state government and private hospitals be revised to 95:5 instead of existing 75: 25.

“You are aware that in Odisha the presence of private hospitals is very low and limited to only about 5 per cent of the total healthcare sector in the state.

“Hence it is apprehended that as per the existing guidelines, Odisha will lose out on its proportionate share of 25 per cent allocation of vaccines to the private sector,” said additional chief secretary, family and health welfare P.K. Mohapatra in his letter to the Union secretary, ministry of health and family welfare.

According to the new guidelines issued by the Centre on June 8, 25 per cent of the monthly production of vaccines by domestic manufactures can be directly procured by private hospitals. The new guidelines of the Centre will come into effect from June 21 across the country.

The state government also informed the Centre that only four private hospitals in the state have so far been able to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers.

“We have asked the Centre that the share of the private sector may be handed over to the state government for subsequent mobilisation and allocation to private hospitals,” additional chief secretary Mohapatra told The Telegraph.