Indian Medical Association Offers Free Service For COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation Programme

New Delhi: With talks about COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution gaining momentum, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday (November 29) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offering its services ‘free-of-cost’ for the effective implementation of the vaccine across the country. “IMA offers its sincere cooperation and support to the Government in making available the vaccination services to our people across the country. All the IMA members will offer their services voluntarily and free of cost. The vaccines have to be provided as per cold chain conditions along with the disposables. This will be a force amplifier for the vaccination programme and substantially increase the number of outlets available for the people,” said IMA’s letter.

Also Read: High Storage Cost Of Ultra-Cold COVID-19 Vaccines Should Not Hinder Use: World Health Organisation

IMA said it will offer the services of more than 3 lakhs of its members who are ‘qualified modern medicine doctors’ for government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.

IMA has 1,750 local branches spread over all the districts of the country. An effective top to down command and control is in place with 28 state branches. Most of the members have a small team of nurses for their professional practice. A large number of small and medium hospitals and nursing homes in sub-district towns are run by IMA members, IMA stated.

The medical body said that its practitioners are available even in remote, hilly districts and areas not easily accessible, and many of them have taken part in the Pulse Polio and many other government welfare programmes.

It also stated that medical practitioners will work with the government with full zeal and strength at all levels to implement the programme on war footing so as to reach each and every citizen of the country at the earliest.

Also Read: Centre May Purchase 300-400 Million Covishield Doses By July 2021: Serum Institute’s Adar Poonawalla

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.