The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) started vaccinating senior citizens and those above 45 years of age with comorbidities from today, but it is still not fully prepared for it.
The civic body has allotted five vaccination centres and three private hospitals for the third phase of the drive but has asked people not to rush for vaccines till the registration glitches on the CoWIN app are ironed out.
Suresh Kakani, the additional commissioner of the BMC, said, “As per the instructions of the central government, the CoWIN app will be launched for Phase III at 9 am on March 1. Citizens can register themselves, but are requested to not rush for vaccinations until the registration process on the portal is smooth.”
This phase would be implemented in government as well as private hospitals. Private hospitals, which are implementing public health schemes as well as central or state government health insurance schemes, will be included in the vaccination programme.
The Government of India has sent a list of 53 city hospitals implementing Jan Arogya Yojana and Central or State Health Insurance Yojana.
“Hospitals will be selected as vaccination centres through a survey based on the availability of facilities like adequate space, manpower, ability to deal with adverse effects of vaccination, management etc. as per government norms. Vaccinations will be started at these centres in phases,” said a BMC official. Citizens will be able to get vaccinated at the three selected private hospitals from March 1 by paying Rs 250. This will include Rs 150 for the vaccine and Rs 100 as a service charge. However, vaccines will be given for free at municipal and government-run hospitals.
“While 12 private hospitals have already been roped in for the vaccination process, only their health workers can take the jabs at these centres. A decision on whether these hospitals can administer vaccines to other health and frontline workers will be taken based on the state government’s policy,” said a BMC health official.
Surjitt Sahani
