As part of the CSR initiative, the scheme to provide free COVID vaccines to people in private hospitals in Tamil Nadu will be formally launched by Chief Minister MK Stalin on July 28.
This initiative comes after the recent meeting of Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramaniam with representatives of companies and various health care providers across the state.
“The Chief Minister (MK Stalin) will formally inaugurate the scheme on Wednesday (July 28) at Kaveri Hospital in the city. The funds for the purchase of vaccines under the CSR initiative will be borne by hotelier Adyar Anand Bhavan and the hospital will provide it free of cost”, he said.
“People living near (the hospital) can take advantage of it,” he told reporters.
Last week, Subramaniam Discussion with representatives of 137 hospitals and industrialists from Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Chengalpet, Vellore, Kancheepuram Tirupathur and Coimbatore.
Subramaniam said the scheme would be gradually rolled out in districts after starting the free vaccine program in private hospitals on July 28.
He said that the hospitals offering this service would advertise the scheme in the area so that the public could take advantage of it.
On July 23, Subramaniam had said that the Center is bearing the cost for procuring 75 per cent of the vaccines from June 21, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an announcement to this effect, while the remaining 25 per cent was allocated to private health care providers. .
Subramaniam had clarified that the existing practice of providing vaccines at cost by private hospitals will continue along with the free vaccination campaign.
A Covidshield vaccine (by Serum Institute of India) has been fixed at Rs 780 per dose, whereas covaxin (Offered by Bharat Biotech) in private healthcare facilities priced at Rs 1,410.
Vaccines are available free of cost to the public in government hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Health Minister said that a departmental inquiry is on to probe the free mask distribution scheme launched during the previous AIADMK regime.
Subramaniam said that when the AIADMK was in power, the DMK had requested for free distribution of masks to the public in the assembly.
“Initially, DMK’s request was rejected, but later the scheme was implemented by the revenue department. The masks distributed were substandard and served no purpose”, he alleged.
He said that departmental inquiry has been started.
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