CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian, held a meeting with private hospitals and companies to provide free Covid-19 vaccines to people at private hospitals, under Corporate Social Responsibility Funds of the companies.
The meeting was held at Arignar Anna Centenary library on Friday. The meeting was conducted with 137 private hospitals from Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Tiruppur and Ranipet districts. Private companies also participated in the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Health Minister said that a board with information on free vaccines available at private hospital s under CSR funds of a particular company, will be displayed outside the hospital. This will be monitored by the local bodies and health department officials daily.
The initiative aims at utilising the total 25 per cent vaccines allotted to the private hospitals by the Centre. Though many people are willing to get vaccinated but because of the price they are hesitant to go. To get Covishield at any private hospital one has to pay Rs 780 and for Covaxin Rs 1,410, the minister said.
He further said that the private hospitals have paid for five lakh vaccines this month but so far received and used only 2. 42 lakhs vaccines. They should get 12 lakh more vaccines under their quota in eight days. So, vaccination under CSR will ensure that vaccines are not wasted. So far the private hospitals vaccinated over 13.31 lakh people and they were allotted 18.70 lakh vaccines. Now, they have 5.38 lakh in stock, Subramanian said.
He also said that on Monday and Tuesday vaccination camps will be conducted in tribal areas in Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri. The Health Minister and Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan will stay in a school at the tribal villages and oversee the camps. Also, around 700 homeless people have bee vaccinated so far.
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