Soon, BMC to inspect 13 shortlisted hospitals

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will start inspection of the 13 shortlisted private hospitals before granting final approval to inoculate the public with Covid-19 vaccines on their premises in the third phase of the mass immunisation programme.

Last month, the Association of Hospitals (AOH), a forum of private hospitals, approached the civic body seeking permission to allow them to inoculate the public in their hospital premises.

Following which a questionnaire seeking information about the infrastructural capacity required to run the Covid-19 mass vaccination programme was sent to private hospitals.

As HT had reported earlier, around 100 private hospitals filled up the online form showing interest to be part of the immunisation process, of which 13 have been shortlisted.

The list includes major private hospitals such as Bombay, Lilavati, Hinduja hospitals, among others.

“In the form, we had asked them to submit details of their immunisation department. Depending on it, we have shortlisted 13 of them. Now, we will have to inspect the hospitals to cross-check if they have the adequate infrastructure to run the immunisation programme,” said Dr Mangala Gomare, executive health officer, BMC. “Only if they fulfil the criteria, approval will be granted,” she added.

However, hospitals have not been officially informed about the planned inspections. “We have got to know about it through the media, but we haven’t received any official confirmation from the civic body,” said Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant physician at Bombay Hospital who had initially approached BMC with the proposal.

In the third phase, BMC will immunise the elderly above the age of 50 years.

As per an initial estimation, over 3 million people are residing in Mumbai who falls into the category.

“To make vaccination centres more accessible to the public, private hospitals will play a key role,” said Dr Bhansali.