Vinod K. Paul, head of a government panel on vaccine strategy and member of the Indian government think tank NITI Aayog. Photo: Reuters/Anushree Fadnavis
New Delhi: The high-level committee on COVID-19 is likely to recommend that corporates should use corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds to vaccinate employees and local communities to control the pandemic, NITI Aayog member (health) V.K. Paul said on Monday.
In an interview to PTI, Paul said that as India moves to immunise individuals above 50 years, the government will soon decide how the vaccination programme can be funded.
“Again, I would say this (allowing CSR for COVID-19 vaccination) is also under consideration. How to use the CSR funds for vaccinating and COVID-19 control has been discussed, and we will come up with specific recommendations in due course,” Paul, who is also the chairman of the National Expert Group On Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC), said.
Last month, a CII taskforce on vaccines also recommended including certain elements in the vaccination programme as part of the 2% corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure required to be undertaken by a class of profitable entities, saying it will encourage the private sector to inoculate its workforce and help enhance the reach of vaccines.
Paul said the Central government has decided to bear the cost of inoculating the first three crore beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. These beneficiaries are healthcare and frontline workers.
“As we move to immunise the next large groups, the real focus of the first wave of vaccination, namely individuals above the age of 50 years, this point on how the resources would be met by the Union government and states will be clarified. This is a decision which is yet to be taken and it will be communicated well in time,” he said.
According to the government, vaccination shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities.
More than 60 lakh beneficiaries have been vaccinated till now.