IIT-H CfHE fellow launches vaccination clinic
S Vishnu Sharmaa, INN/Chennai, @Svs03
Jignesh Patel, fellow of Centre for Healthcare Entrepreneurship (CfHE) launched a vaccination clinic on wheels in Pune. CfHE is located in Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) premises.
The clinic was opened in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation is said to have provided him a grant under its Grand Challenges Explorations.
The clinic is called ‘VaccineOnWheels.com’ as it has adopted the concept of Vaccination on wheels. This clinic will go to schools, colleges and corporates to conduct vaccination camps at their doorsteps.
It will offer only vaccination services and was launched on 15 December in Pune city’s PCMC area. This unique, unconventional, creative, low-cost and high on convenience model has been designed with the idea of reaching the bottom of the pyramid.
Jignesh said they have taken this mission to support government and society in getting children fully immunized as per World Health Organization (WHO) and Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) standards for children who are taking vaccination from government centres.
‘With this mission in mind, our social workers and nurses conduct awareness camps in various community areas where the government conducts immunization camps. Through the awareness drive, we educate mothers to get their children vaccinated.’
Professor Renu John, Co-Head, CfHE and Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering, IIT Hyderabad said this is a unique programme that works hand-in-hand with the government to cover the last mile in delivering vaccines to people of all strata of the society.
The one-year residential Healthcare Entrepreneurship Programme at CfHE, IIT Hyderabad is said to have helped Jignesh to understand the gaps in vaccine delivery model from close quarters and identify various issues faced by diverse stakeholders primarily from infants, parents in getting vaccinated.
‘VaccineOnWheels.com’ is being supported by Pediatric doctors of Pune namely Dr. Jayant Navarange and Dr. Sadhana Lachyan.
