Collector to meet private hospitals to arrange Covid-19 vaccine at affordable cost

Aurangabad, March 8:

The Covid-19 vaccine is available free of cost in the government hospitals and health centres in the district, but the same vaccine is available on payment of Rs 250 in private hospitals. As a result, the district collector Sunil Chavan hinted at organising a meeting and discussing the issue with the private hospitals so that the same vaccine could be available at affordable charges and a large number of persons could benefit through it.

The collector today held a meeting to review the functioning of the Covid-19 vaccination drive and health facilities available for the Covid-19 patients at the collectorate. The zilla parishad chief executive officer (CEO) Mangesh Gondavale, additional collector Anant Gavhane, district health officer Dr S Shelke, civil surgeon Dr S V Kulkarni and others were in the meeting.

The district collector mentioned partial lockdown in the district from March 11 midnight. He instructed the health administration to increase the ratio of RT-PCR tests in the rural parts of the district to control the situation. He also stressed conducting tests in the large number of persons coming in contact with Covid-19 patients. He also told them to develop medical infrastructure (including beds equipped with all facilities) and the required workforce. He stressed the dire need for the security of women patients undergoing treatment in health centres. He also recommended the installation of CCTV cameras.

Covid-19 vaccine through 43 centres

The administration is giving free of cost vaccine to citizens at the health centres and government hospitals through 43 centres in the district. " The vaccine had been given to 48,939 persons so far. It is given to the health care workers, frontline workers, senior citizens and persons in the age group of 45 years to 59 years. The strength includes 78 per cent of health care workers and 38 pc frontline workers, claimed the vaccination officer Dr Pallavi Pagdal.