To speed up the third phase of the nation-wide mass immunization programme, the centre on Tuesday approved 29 private hospitals to inoculate senior citizens above 60 years and those above 45 years with co-morbidities. This list includes three private hospitals which the civic body had already selected on Sunday to start the vaccination programme on March 1.

Among the 26 new names are most major hospitals—Hinduja, Lilavati, Jaslok, Kokilaben, Bombay, SL Raheja, Global, Nanavati, Saifee hospital.

On Friday, the central government issued guidelines for the third phase of the mass immunization programme. As per the rules, only private hospitals empaneled under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY) and Central Government Health Schemes (CGHS) were allowed to conduct their third phase in their premises. This disqualified all major private hospitals that come under the umbrella of charitable hospitals for the vaccination.

Following which, Dr Pradeep Vyas, principal secretary, public health department, Maharashtra, requested the central government to allow private hospitals with more than 200 beds and multispeciality facilities with the infrastructure for vaccination. In response to this, the union health ministry changed the earlier guidelines and approved 29 such private hospitals who aren’t empanelled under the government health schemes. This includes the already three selected hospitals—Doshi Hindu Sabha, KJ Somaiya and SRCC Children’s Hospital who have been conducting the vaccination from March 1.