E-Paper
Over 0.2 million youth vaccinated at private hospitals in Pune city
As the government centres have stopped vaccinating this age group, the younger population has to rely completely on the private hospitals and the speed of their vaccination is also quite good compared to the government vaccination drive in the city
After the Central government gave a nod to private hospitals to purchase Covid vaccines directly from the manufacturers, several prominent hospitals from the city bought the vaccine doses and from May 22 began vaccination.
A majority of the beneficiaries who were getting vaccinated were from the age group of 18-45, and so since May 22 when the private hospitals started vaccinating until now a total of 0.2 million have received the vaccine in this age group.
As the government centres have stopped vaccinating this age group, the younger population has to rely completely on the private hospitals and the speed of their vaccination is also quite good compared to the government vaccination drive in the city.
“There is a good response to our vaccination within the hospital since we have started. As we bought the vaccines directly from the manufacturers, we were able to resume the vaccination. Youngsters are coming for vaccination with a prior appointment taken on the Cowin website, as there is no direct walk-in vaccination allowed for them as per the government guidelines. But it needs to be changed as many of them are coming directly to the hospital for vaccination but due to a smaller number of slots they cannot get the vaccine. This needs to be changed and district administration needs to look into this matter,” said Dr Avdhut Bodamwad, medical superintendent at Ruby Hall Clinic.
Prominent hospital like Ruby Hall clinic, Noble hospital and Sahyadri Hospital have started the vaccination at their hospital premises through the directly purchased vaccine doses. The rate for the vaccination is ₹900 if it is taken at the hospital and at corporate offices on their campus it is ₹1,200 which is fixed by the Pune hospitals’ association.
“Vaccination drive is going on well at our hospital and there is a huge rush of youth between age 18 to 45 coming for vaccination. There is a proper system in place for the pre-booked appointments at the hospitals and as per the slots given, they are given the vaccination. We are planning to increase our vaccination pace, but it will happen only when we get more vaccine doses from the manufacturers.” said Dr HK Sale, executive director of Noble Hospital.
