"Need Of The Hour Is To Vaccinate As Many People As Possible": Delhi High Court Issues Notice In Vaccination Centre's Plea Challenging Withdrawal From COWIN Portal

Observing that need of the hour today is to vaccinate as many people as possible, the Delhi High Court has issued notice in a plea filed Sant Soham Hospital being aggreived from the withdrawal of its status as a government authorized vaccination centre and the deletion of its name from the GNCTD's COVID-19 vaccination app named COWIN where the public registers for vaccination. 

A single judge bench comprising of Justice Rekha Palli observed thus:

"Keeping in view the fact that as of today, the need of the hour is to vaccinate as many people as possible, it has been put to Mr. Anuj Aggarwal, ASC, GNCTD whether the matter can be amicably resolved by restoring the status of the petitioner Hospital as a registered vaccine centre and finding a solution to the allegations of overcharging levelled against it."

It was submitted on behalf of the petitioner hospital that the Delhi Government's entire case against it was that the hospital had utilized certain vaccines provided by the central government for use of persons who were more than 45 years of age, which were instead diverted for the use of patients who fell in the 18-45 year age group.

In view of this, it was submitted that vaccines were administered only to those persons who had registered themselves for such vaccination before 30.04.2021 on the COWIN portal.

On the other hand, it was the case of the GNCTD that due to various additional reasons, the government had to delist the hospital from the CoWin app.

It was thus submitted that according to the written complaints received from persons who had gotten their vaccinations from the petitioner Hospital, it transpired that the said hospital had been "illegally raking in profits by overcharging persons in the 18-45 age category and receiving Rs. 1250/dose from them" notwithstanding the fact that the same had been procured at the rate of Rs.150/dose from the Central Government. 

Therefore, it was submitted that the hospital was guilty of having received a gross profit margin of almost Rs.1100/dose per person.

While issuing notice in the matter, the Bench hinted for an amicable solution for resolving the status of the hospital and also on the allegations of over charging.

With this, the Delhi Government prayed for some time to seek instructions on this aspect. In view of this, the Court listed the matter for further hearing on June 1.

Title: SANT SOHAM HOSPITAL v. CHIEF DISTRICT MEDICAL OFFICER NORTH ZONE DIRECTORATE OF HEALTH SERVICES GOVT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS

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