BMC all set for next phase of vax jabs, names 8 facilities
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will start the third phase of the COVID vaccination drive from Monday and the civic body on Sunday announced the names of five civic-run facilities and three private hospitals as free and paid vaccine centres respectively for now. The number of vaccination centres for the third phase across Mumbai will be gradually increased, civic officials said.
In this phase, senior citizens and people between the age group of 45 and 60 years of age with comorbidity will be vaccinated, the BMC officials said.
As per the guidelines received from the Centre, the third phase of vaccination will be implemented in municipal and government hospitals as well as private hospitals. Among the private
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hospitals which are implementing 'Jan Arogya Yojana' or Central or State Government Health Insurance Schemes, private hospitals are being included in the vaccination programme.
However, against the list of 53 hospitals in the jurisdiction of BMC which are linked to Central government's 'Jan Arogya Yojana' and also by the Central or State Government Health Insurance Scheme has been released by the centre, the civic body has for now selected
eight facilites of civic-run and private ones.
"The BMC is fully equipped for the third phase of 'COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination facility selected for now three private hospitals and five jumbo COVID care centres run by the BMC. The number of centres will be increased gradually,” said Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Health).
Kakani added that the infrastructure for carrying out the vaccination drive for the third phase had to prepared by the private hospitals. “We will train them but they also need to be ready to offer services for the drive in terms of proper infrastructure etc," Kakani said.
Kakani informed that those going to private hospitals/ facilities will have to pay Rs 250 for the vaccine and Rs 100 as user charges and Rs 150 will have to be given to the government. So, it needs to be seen how many hospitals are ready to do that.
The third phase of free vaccination will begin from Monday at BMC-run facilities at BKC Jumbo Hospital, Bandra, Mulund Jumbo Covid Hospital, Mulund, Nesco Jumbo Covid Hospital, Goregaon, Seven Hills Hospital, Andheri and Dahisar Jumbo Hospital, Dahisar. In 19 other BMC run facilities or vaccination centres, the third phase of free vaccination will start from March 2, 2021.
"Vaccination will continue only for the health workers and front line workers of the private hospital where the vaccination center is currently operating. A decision in this regard will be taken only after the policy in this regard is finalised by the state government," said a senior BMC official.
Therefore, as per the Union government order, in the private hospitals across Mumbai which are linked to the 'Jan Arogya Vima Yojana', Central or State Government Health Insurance Schemes, vaccination of senior citizens and citizens with comorbidities in the age group of 45 to 60 years will be started from March 1 and will be carried out on a paid basis.
The three private facilities selected for the vaccine drive are HJ Doshi Hindu Sabha Hospital, Ghatkopar, K J Somaiya Medical College, Sion and SRCC Children's Hospital, Mahalaxmi.