CCSA Allows Private Hospitals to Buy 10 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine

[Jonathan Fairfield]

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Private hospitals can buy 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, in addition to the government’s purchases, to help create herd immunity.

 

Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) Spokesman Taweesilp Visanuyothin said the decision was made at a CCSA meeting with senior officials of the Public Health Ministry and representatives of private hospitals and the Thai Private Hospitals Association (TPHA) at Government House on Friday.

 

The meeting acknowledged that the government was buying 70 million doses of Covid vaccine, enough for 35 million people. However, herd immunity required at least 40 million people be vaccinated.

 

The TPHA representatives confirmed they were able to buy the 10 million doses needed for the other 5 million people. The private procurement would target vaccines from producers other than the manufacturers the government had already registered, for more diversification and risk distribution

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-04-11

 

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[mtls2005]

Amazing that when the heat is on the process is adjusted.

 

Yesterday it was 30 days to get things moving.

 

 

[internationalism]

registering a new vax takes about 1 month.

And not that they are available on the spot. Even for emergency purchase it takes months.

Emergency buy of AZ was approved at the end of december, sinovac at the beginning of january - they have arrived on 24th February in small quantities 200k and 117k, just a fraction of order. For AZ it took another 2 weeks to be tested in thailand, because the batch come from korea and needed additional paperwork, forgotten to send earlier.

So perspective for private hospitals well might be many months. Thai extended bureaucracy will take care of slowing process, so thai made AZ will still be the first serious attempt. They might come at the end of year. Time frame was not described.

 

In the face of the outbreak, which was partly caused by the government employees spending their ill gotten money in thonglor clubs and pubs, the government are again giving the green light to private hospitals. Twice before they were told not to proceed with imports

Edited April 11, 2021 by internationalism

[Bkk Brian]

38 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The meeting acknowledged that the government was buying 70 million doses of Covid vaccine, enough for 35 million people. However, herd immunity required at least 40 million people be vaccinated.

 

While I welcome the decision its also a clear statement by the government that they haven't ordered enough vaccines despite stating they had in the vaccination plan recently.

 

This is also going to take time, time that Thailand just does not have to quell the virus outbreak it has now. 

 

[YetAnother]

41 minutes ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

Private hospitals can buy 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine,

why any limit ?

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

why any limit ?

 

Not sure it's some government imposed limit, but maybe the sum total of the initial order that TPHA and their members are willing to commit to?

 

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

They will be gutted that the private enterprises will now make money and not only the priveleged few but they really had no option given the situation. 

 

There will no doubt still be profits for them in allowing this to happen though. Nothing is ever done here from altruism. 

[LomSak27]

32 minutes ago, internationalism said:

So perspective for private hospitals well might be many months. Thai extended bureaucracy will take care of slowing process, so thai made AZ will still be the first serious attempt. They might come at the end of year. Time frame was not described

 

Another interpretation  - Hi So people are in the crosshairs of the latest outbreak, oh, and the Japanese ambassador (heh). As such these valued members of society want a vaccine and want it now. The government of course needs to spin why they have done this after months of denial and disinformation so ... herd immunity blah blah blah.

 

If they do expedite the purchase and distribute. There might be leftovers that ex pats might get. Perhaps not though.

[rabas]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

They will be gutted that the private enterprises will now make money and not only the priveleged few but they really had no option given the situation. 

 

There will no doubt still be profits for them in allowing this to happen though. Nothing is ever done here from altruism. 

 

The biggest profit?  Not being ripped from power.   The 'big boys' royally screwed up this time.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

 

While I welcome the decision its also a clear statement by the government that they haven't ordered enough vaccines despite stating they had in the vaccination plan recently.

 

This is also going to take time, time that Thailand just does not have to quell the virus outbreak it has now. 

 

The fact they weren't ordering enough vaccines has been apparent since day one and now it's too late. 

 

The reason: they were too busy trying to engineer a way to make profit for a certain group of people and use the vaccine as a narrative to continue a personality cult well into the future.

 

Out of greed or out of deference and probably a bit of both but again, this is what happens when you do not have a meritorious system that rewards competence and performance but is built on bullying, standover men, lickspittal lackeys and deference to those older or perceived as being 'higher-up' or simply paying for promotions or positions.

[DLock]

53 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

The biggest profit?  Not being ripped from power.   The 'big boys' royally screwed up this time.

 

 

I see what you did there.

 

????

[AlfHuy]

Why is he showing 3 fingers?

 

3 Million Baht gift?

[pixelaoffy]

2 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

They will be gutted that the private enterprises will now make money and not only the priveleged few but they really had no option given the situation. 

 

There will no doubt still be profits for them in allowing this to happen though. Nothing is ever done here from altruism. 

Absolutely! Everything is money driven 

 

35 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

The fact they weren't ordering enough vaccines has been apparent since day one and now it's too late. 

 

The reason: they were too busy trying to engineer a way to make profit for a certain group of people and use the vaccine as a narrative to continue a personality cult well into the future.

 

Out of greed or out of deference and probably a bit of both but again, this is what happens when you do not have a meritorious system that rewards competence and performance but is built on bullying, standover men, lickspittal lackeys and deference to those older or perceived as being 'higher-up' or simply paying for promotions or positions.

Vaccine roll out was prevented for use by private hospitals so those vile corrupt failed Politicians could claim success from just government programme ! The fact that privates could have purchased vaccines months ago would hurt their elitist view of their pathetic kingdom 

[John Drake]

I think this has already been in the works for some time. As I wrote elsewhere, at the end of March my physician at a private hospital expected Moderna or J&J by July. I think the private sector has had plans in place (and probably order for vaccine) for a few months. Every one was playing along until the government could get its act together and not look bad. Apparently, the wait could not go on any longer.

[ikke1959]

Something I don't understand is that Thailand has given 600 million bath to Bio Science for produce Covid vaccins. Why do they have to buy another 70 million?? Maybe I missed something?

[mtls2005]

17 person committee, should work well. Ineresting that Anutin was left off this committee.

 

 

PM tasks newly formed team with procuring alternative Covid-19 vaccine

 

The other 17 working team members are government officials from the Public Health Ministry, Government Pharmaceutical Organisation, Food and Drug Administration and Private Hospital Association.

 

However, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was not included in the working team.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30404773

[internationalism]

10 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Something I don't understand is that Thailand has given 600 million bath to Bio Science for produce Covid vaccins. Why do they have to buy another 70 million?? Maybe I missed something?

that was just a gift to the private company to build a factory, because they never made any vax before.

 

another 6bln is for 25mln of AZ. And more money will be approved shortly for yet 36mln more. It's for technology, expertise and for the most important components of vax.

This company will be making up to 200mln vials per year and selling on asian market. Not likely they will pay back to the state those 600mln, that was not a condition

[Flying Saucage]

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

why any limit ?

 

Rhetorical question, I guess....?

 

Applying any limit just shows the greed of the decision makers, who still want to ensure that their appointed company gets the big part of the cake, even if it still will take months for that company to be able to produce and supply.

 

They still don't understand and/or don't care about what that means for the people of Thailand: a disaster. 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by Flying Saucage

[tomazbodner]

If they allowed private hospitals to import them months ago when they ordered them, instead the government forced those hospitals take down campaigns, you could have many HiSo already vaccinated so this outbreak could possibly be avoided altogether...

[ourmanflint]

3 hours ago, LomSak27 said:

 

Another interpretation  - Hi So people are in the crosshairs of the latest outbreak, oh, and the Japanese ambassador (heh). As such these valued members of society want a vaccine and want it now. The government of course needs to spin why they have done this after months of denial and disinformation so ... herd immunity blah blah blah.

 

If they do expedite the purchase and distribute. There might be leftovers that ex pats might get. Perhaps not though.

I know of at least 4 hi-so friends who have already been vaccinated, age 50-55 and healthy. All with Sinovac, apparently they were given a choice of that or AZ and they chose Sinovac because of media reports on AZ

[RichardColeman]

5 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

BANGKOK (NNT) - Private hospitals can buy 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine, in addition to the government’s purchases, to help create herd immunity.

Back of the queue, 2025 and then sit on the shelf until expiry.

[trainman34014]

2 hours ago, John Drake said:

I think this has already been in the works for some time. As I wrote elsewhere, at the end of March my physician at a private hospital expected Moderna or J&J by July. I think the private sector has had plans in place (and probably order for vaccine) for a few months. Every one was playing along until the government could get its act together and not look bad. Apparently, the wait could not go on any longer.

What the 'Government' were waiting for is the Brown Envelopes from the Private Hospitals to become tasty enough to let them 'allow' the purchase of Vaccine.    This is Thailand where everything has to be 'bought' from the 'Authorities' !

Edited April 11, 2021 by trainman34014

[Kiujunn]

7 hours ago, internationalism said:

Thai extended bureaucracy will take care of slowing process, so thai made AZ will still be the first serious attempt. They might come at the end of year.

Exactly

[kimamey]

Why don't the government buy these doses instead of the the private hospitals?

 

Two possible reasons spring to mind.

 

Firstly the private hospitals will administer their vaccine shots at a profit and I'd be very surprised if there aren't at least some people who are wealthy and/or in the upper levels of government who are financially connected to those private hospitals. If I were looking to buy shares in businesses in Thailand I would put hospitals at or near the top of my list.

 

Secondly if the government buy all the vaccines that come to Thailand then there would be pressure to provide them on the basis of need rather than wealth and position. By allowing private hospitals to buy some vaccines the problem is avoided as the general population can receive theirs based on need whilst the wealthy can pay to get theirs when they want.

 

That might not be the case but I think it certainly think it's worth considering.

[nong38]

I seem to recall not so long ago that the PM said that everyone would get the vaccine although it seemed from the figures mentioned and the population figure did not seem to add up and anyway I expect we would have been at the back of the queue, now the Government are saying they have ordered 70million doses enough for 35 million to be vaccinated, enough for herd immunity! So I am not expecting a call anytime soon now, we will have to get used to the idea of going to private rather than wait for an official message from the chosen ones. If you want the chance to travel again you will have no choice than to go private but do wait for an official release from the font of all knowledge.

[vandeventer]

Why private hospitals the cute girls in my 7/11 can do the jab just as easy at half the cost. In time also the 7/11 might have buy one get one free.

[Caldera]

That would have been a great decision. Two months ago.

 

Horse, bolted, etc.

 

[Cake Monster]

Hopefully, these Hospital will not be procuring Sinovax

The leading Virologist guy in China has spoken out, and called Sinovax rubbish, saying it offers very little protection.

[kingofthemountain]

On 4/11/2021 at 7:56 AM, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The meeting acknowledged that the government was buying 70 million doses of Covid vaccine, enough for 35 million people. However, herd immunity required at least 40 million people be vaccinated.

Of course no any details were given on the origin of these vaccines

nor on the schedule of the deliveries, and as usual nobody has taken the opportunity to ask this important question.

 

As far in 2 months Thailand has managed to buy and receive 800 000 dose of sinovac from China

 

Now at a moment where each country in the whole world is fighting to buy more doses and with the production already overwhelmed, i don't see Thailand, being late at ''the party'' , able to buy 70 miilions doses in a next future, it sounds again like more hot air and <deleted>

Edited April 14, 2021 by metisdead
Profane acronym removed.

[Yorkshire Tea]

Govt should be buying all the vaccines.  Jeez, I thought Yorkshire folk were tight...