Augment inoculation infra: Hakim tells pvt hospitals

kolkata: In its efforts to expedite the process of vaccination in the city, Firhad Hakim, Chairman of Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday urged the private hospitals in the city to take necessary measures to augment their inoculation infrastructure.

"I have asked the private hospitals to procure more vaccines so that more and more people can be inoculated. A number of private companies have come up with proposals of vaccinating their staff against payment. The private hospitals can have the list of these companies and arrange for their vaccination. If necessary, KMC is ready to help them with necessary infrastructure like storage of vaccines," Hakim said, after holding a meeting with the top brass of the private hospitals to review the vaccination process in the city.

According to Hakim, there is a section of people who are ready to pay for their vaccination but are unwilling to stand in queues for taking the jab from the health centres of the civic body.

The private hospitals should procure more vaccine doses so that they can offer the jab to this section of the people.

About 21 lakh people in the city have already received the jab in the city and the dip in COVID-19 cases in the city bear testimony to the fact that vaccination is playing a key role in this. "KMC is doing its bit to increase awareness among people about the benefits of taking the jab. The private sector should also do the same so that more people come forward and get themselves inoculated,"Hakim added.