Mumbai civic body seeks list of HCWs from private hospitals for vaccination
Following a proposal of private hospitals that was submitted last week, BMC may allow beneficiaries in the second and third phase to be vaccinated in their hospital premises under the supervision of civic officials.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sought a list of healthcare workers (HCWs) from major private hospitals who have registered on the CoWIN app, which is managing the vaccination drive. Following a proposal of private hospitals that was submitted last week, BMC may allow beneficiaries in the second and third phase to be vaccinated in their hospital premises under the supervision of civic officials.
“We are in the process of getting the list of HCWs from private hospitals, following which the decision will be taken on the proposal submitted by the private hospitals,” said additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani. If approved, vaccination of HCWs as well as frontline workers and senior citizens by private hospitals would be allowed in the second and third phases of the drive. “Though we are yet to make a final decision... we are still contemplating as it will help bring vaccine centres closer to beneficiaries. Dispensaries and clinics can also prove beneficial for the public in the following vaccination phases,” said Kakani.
According to private hospitals in the city, distance is preventing almost 50% of registered HCWs from getting inoculated. “Currently, there are only 10 vaccination centres in Mumbai, which is slowing down the mass immunisation programme. Each major hospital has over 2,000 HCWs. If the BMC permits us to inoculate them in our hospital premises, it will help save travel time resulting in better turnout,” said Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant physician at Bombay Hospital.
In a meeting held on January 21, the Association of Hospitals, which is a trust comprising private hospitals, said staffers with experience in immunisation could administer vaccines under the supervision of civic officials. “Hospitals will submit the duly signed forms of each recipient of the vaccine to the authority at the end of each day. This way government/BMC authorities can be relieved of considerable burden,” said Dr Sujit Chatterjee, chief executive officer of LH Hiranandani Hospital, Powai.