NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has offered the services of its over three lakh members in the COVID-19 inoculation programme of the government, once a vaccine is available, and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to effectively use its trained manpower for this noble cause.
In a letter to the prime minister on Sunday, the IMA said all its members will offer their services voluntarily and free of charge.
The vaccines will have to be provided according to cold chain conditions along with disposables.
This will be a force amplifier for the vaccination programme and substantially increase the number of outlets available for people, the doctor's body said.
"The IMA members have throughout remained engaged in treating COVID-19 patients all over the country as frontline warriors without caring for their own safety and the interest of their families and are now coming forward to humbly urge to your goodself for taking its services for administering the COVID- 19 vaccine all over the country," it said.
"The IMA offers the services of more than 3 lakhs of its members who are qualified modern medicine doctors, in the COVID- 19 vaccination programme of the Government," the letter stated.
Asserting that the IMA has 1,750 branches spread over all the districts of the country, the doctors' body said an effective top-down command and control is in place with 28 state branches.
Most of the members have a small team of nurses for their professional practice while a large number of small and medium hospitals and nursing homes in sub-district towns are run by IMA members.
Such practitioners are available even in remote, hilly districts.
Moreover many of them have taken part in the pulse polio vaccination drive and many such government welfare programs as well, it said.
"The IMA will work with the government with full zeal and strength at all levels to implement the programme on a war footing so as to reach each and every citizen of the country at the earliest.
"We hereby appeal to your good self and the government, to effectively utilise this trained technical manpower of the IMA in this noble cause thereby serving the entire community in the country in line with our culture and ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," the letter said.