Chennai: At least 24 lakh more people in Tamil Nadu are set to receive the free Covid-19 vaccine, thanks to the allocation of 12 additional doses by the center, and the state government’s decision to buy 12 other Lakh vaccines from private hospitals.
The state will use CSR funds to buy a dose from a private hospital and manage it to people who are free of charge, said Minister of Health MA Subramanian.
On Wednesday, Minister of Man Chief M K Stalin will launch a free vaccination camp at Kauvery Hospital in Chennai where at least 1,000 people can be vaccinated.
“Similar drives will be made throughout the state.
In the first week of August, 1 Lakh industry employee from Hosur will get a free vaccine from a private hospital in Krishnagiri,” said Minister.
So far, Tamil Nadu has collected more than RS5 Crore to buy anti-covid vaccines allocated for the private sector in the state.
Private hospitals have bought only 5 doses of lakh even though their July allotment is 17 doses of lakh.
“If we did not intervene now, Tamil Nadu would lose 12 doses of lakh allocated for private hospitals in the state for July.
We want to risk claims for all vaccines allocated for the country, so we can vaccinate as many people as possible, earliest , “Subramanian said.
The slow rate of vaccination in the private sector because many people cannot afford it, he said, indicating that private hospitals charge RS750 for Covishield and RS1,400 for Covaxin.
“The center rejects our request to reduce a 25% quota for the private sector to 10%.
So, we decided to buy this vaccine from a private hospital using CSR funds and manage them to people who are free of charge,” Minister said to Ti.
Since May 1, a private hospital in the state has bought around 19 doses of lakh of three vaccines – covishield, covaxin, and sputnik.
Meanwhile, the center has also allocated 12 additional doses of 72 lakh monthly quota for July.
“The country was given around 54 doses of lakh at first.
Last week, the center added 5 additional doses.
We have now been told that we will receive 7 additional lakh doses for July,” Subramanian said.
For 6 adult crore-odd populations that qualify for vaccination, Tamil Nadu must manage at least 12 doses of crore.
The country has so far provided 2.07 crore doses, including 2.8 lakh on Tuesday in government vaccination centers.
On Tuesday, the cumulative counting of vaccination in private hospitals rose to 14.37 lakh since May 1.