Tamil Nadu: Free vaccination drive at private hospitals to be launched soon

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Friday said it would soon commence its free vaccination drive at private health care facilities that will receive funds for the vaccines from corporates under the CSR initiative.

Those hospitals providing vaccines free of cost would place a board in front of their facility, informing the public of the initiative, to enable them receive the jabs, minister for medical and family welfare Ma Subramanian said after chairing a meeting with hospitals and corporates of Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Also Read:4 in Human trial, 1 in pre-clinical stage: Centre informs Rajya Sabha on COVID-19 vaccine status in India

The Centre has been bearing the costs for procuring 75 per of the vaccines since June 21, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement to this effect, while the balance 25 per cent are allotted to private health care providers. "We held discussions with hospitals and corporates from districts like Kancheepuram, Vellore, Tiruvallur and Ranipet. As many as 137 hospital administration took part.

The initiative is to ensure that even the poor and downtrodden, as per the advise by Chief Minister M K Stalin, receive the jabs in private healthcare facilities free of charge", Subramanian told reporters. A similar meeting was held last week in Coimbatore and Rs 61 lakh was received from corporates under CSR for the free vaccination drive to be held in that region, he said.

Elaborating on this drive, he said the funds received from the corporates and details about those companies which have tied up with hospitals would be made available online by the health department "We received Rs two crore today (from corporates during the meeting)...as and when we receive the funds, the details will be uploaded online", he said.

Subramanian also clarified that the current practice of private hospitals providing vaccines at a price would continue, along with the free vaccination drive. "Not all hospitals are covered in the campaign. Those which have tied-up with the corporates will be offering the vaccines free of cost. The other hospitals which have not partnered with companies will offer the service as per the existing practice," he said.

Also Read:COVID vaccine IP waiver not property snatch, says WHO