Mumbai: Covid-19 vaccination drive in private centres drops by 68 per cent

A vaccination drive organised by Jaslok Hospital. File pic

In the last two months, private hospitals, which were once leading the vaccination drive in Mumbai, have witnessed a 68 per cent drop in numbers. This reason for this slump, experts said, was because the eligible population that could afford to pay for the vaccine at these centres, had got at least one dose.

Dr Gautam Bhansali, chief coordinator for all private hospitals for vaccination and Covid-19, said, "People who could afford the vaccine cost, preferred going to private hospitals and by now, have got their jab. It's those who cannot afford the vaccine that have been left out. That's the reason why we are seeing a drop in vaccination numbers in private hospitals."

As per data, there has been an 83.4 per cent drop in people coming to take the first dose in private hospitals and 58.15 per cent drop for the second dose. Dr Bhansali said even the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is now encouraging private players to give vaccination as part of their CSR activity to the non-affordable eligible population.

In an effort to reach out to them, the NGO, Golden Hour Foundation, which deals with medical and accidental emergency cases, has joined hands with the BMC to vaccinate people residing in slum areas.

"The BMC has been helping us with data and locations where fewer people have taken vaccines. Presently, our drive is on in nine slum locations in Mumbai. The idea is to aggressively vaccinate and cover the entire eligible population to beat the virus," said Dr Bhansali, who heads the foundation.

Navi Mumbai became the first corporation in the MMR to achieve 100 per cent first vaccination. While 98 per cent of Mumbai's eligible population has received the first dose of the vaccine, 55 per cent has got both the doses. Mumbai presently has 192 private centres conducting vaccination.