Canvassing in housing societies, corporate tie-ups, and extended working hours are some of the ways in which private players are gearing up for when supply starts for 18-44 population
People wait to get vaccinated at Cama hospital on Thursday. Pic/Ashish Raje
You may soon be able to have an ambulance from a nearby private hospital at your doorstep to get the COVID vaccine after the state government opens up vaccination for the 18-44 age group. This is one of the many steps being planned by private hospitals after the city saw serpentine queues of senior citizens and those aged 45 and above at vaccination centres.
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Ways are being devised to ensure fewer people turn up at vaccination centres, thereby reducing the risk of spreading the virus and maintaining social distancing. Dr Gautam Bhansali, chief coordinator of all private hospitals for vaccination and COVID, said, “Every private hospital has an ambulance service. It will go to nearby housing societies, corporate offices and workplaces and hold the vaccination drive. Each ambulance will have a doctor and two nurses and will be equipped with required medications. In case of an emergency post-vaccination, the person can be shifted to the hospital in the same ambulance.”
Dr Bhansali added that presently 76 private hospitals have permission to give COVID vaccines. Plans are afoot to increase that number. “Permission will be given to 29 more hospitals. There is also a plan to let all hospitals handling COVID cases give the vaccine,” Dr Bhansali said.
Citizens wait in a queue to get the vaccination at the MMRC Dedicated COVID Health Centre at Ketkipada, Dahisar on Thursday. Pic/Satej Shinde
Bombay Hospital, where Dr Bhansali is a consultant physician, has decided to double the number of vaccination booths when the next phase of vaccination begins. Concerned over the supply of COVID vaccines, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has decided not to commence inoculation of those aged 18-44 from May 1.
Private hospitals, meanwhile, have extra time to come up with strategies to prevent overcrowding at their premises. Joy Chakraborty, Chief Operating Officer, Hinduja hospital said, “We have decided to extend our working hours for vaccination once the vaccination starts for the 18-45 age group. We will operate from 7.30 am to 10 pm and increase the booths.”
Chakraborty said Hinduja hospital has reached out to nearby housing societies about the vaccination service and educated them on steps taken to avoid the spread of infection at the hospital. “We will have suitable time slots. Prior appointments will be fixed to avoid overcrowding and to stop super spreaders,” said Chakraborty. The state government has set a target of six months to cover the age group 18-45. A micro-planning committee would be formed for the same.
Dr Vivek Talaulikar, CEO, Global Hospitals, Parel said, “We have decided to scale up the team working on vaccination and increase the working hours depending on the load. We will take only registered patients inside the hospital. The registration is checked on the ground floor. We do not allow overcrowding in the vaccination area.”
The hospital has formed a six-member team for on-site vaccination and received requests from eight to 10 housing societies for a vaccination drive on their premises. The BMC would be procuring the vaccines and selling it to private hospitals.
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No. of pvt hosps to be added as vax centres
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