Covid-19 vaccination programme: 550 private hospitals, clinics told to share details of staffers by December 4

Over 550 private hospitals and clinics in the district have been directed to submit the details of their healthcare workers prior to December 4 for Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Prioritising health workers for administering Covid-19 vaccine, the state government had earlier asked the district health department to submit the details of at least 728 private healthcare units in Gurugram.Of these, only 230 units, comprising more than 20,000 front-line workers, have submitted their details so far. Health officials said that many private clinics are reluctant to share the information of their working staff.

Acting on the guidelines issued by the state and central government, under which healthcare workers engaged in Covid-19 management will be covered on a priority basis for vaccination, district administration along with the health department on Tuesday held a meeting of the task force. It included representatives from Indian Medical Association (IMA) and nursing homes.

“Only 31% private health care units have registered under the Covid-19 vaccination programme. Over 550 hospitals have been asked to register their workforce on the government portal in the next 48 hours,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer(CMO). “IMA and nursing homes’ associations have been directed to coordinate with private hospitals and clinics to furnish their details before the task force meets again on December 4 to discuss other planning issues related to vaccine distribution,” he said.

Prashant Panwar, additional deputy commissioner, who chaired the meeting expressed concern over the delay by the private hospital and clinics in sharing the details, according to the minutes of the meeting accessed by HT.

Dr Ajay Gupta, secretary, IMA, said, “It’s been an ongoing process but now the IMA has taken the task on a priority basis. Within next two days, all small clinics and private hospitals will upload information on the spreadsheet shared by the health department.”

The issue of incomplete details furnished by some of the health units was also raised during the meeting. Currently, 230 health units comprising of big private hospitals, diagnostic labs, private clinics and nursing homes have registered. It involves a workforce of 20,348 healthcare workers.

Dr Naresh Garg, district immunisation officer, said, “Of the 728 health care units, some private clinics are not keen to share their details as they fear coming under the scanner of the health department. It is for this reason, IMA has been asked co-ordinate with its members.”

Yadav said that list of employees and workers under the health department has already been prepared. At least 4,575 people from Urban Primary Health Centres(UPHCs), primary health centres, community health centres, government dispensaries, anganwadis and Ayush department have been listed. In October, the Union ministry of health and family welfare clarified that front-line health workers like doctors, nurses, paramedics, sanitary staff, ASHA workers, surveillance officers will be considered as the priority population group to receive Covid-19 vaccine. States have been told to work on cold chain facilities and other related infrastructure at the block level for vaccine distribution.