Apollo Hospitals has launched a large scale nationwide vaccination drive on the occasion of World’s Neighbourhood Day to create awareness and encourage Indians to take precautionary steps and avoid easily preventable diseases.
Titled ‘Apollo Protect’, the campaign will focus on encouraging vaccinations for the adolescent and adult population and it will be driven across the group’s integrated healthcare network of 50 hospitals, 1500 pharmacies, 100 clinics, four cradle hospitals, day surgery centres, occupational health centres, telemedicine centres and patient information centres across the country.
Speaking about the social initiative, Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “India has witnessed substantial strides in creating basic awareness about the importance of vaccinations, yet a lot more needs to be done to ensure that its benefits reach the remotest parts of the country. I would estimate that at least 2,50,000 precious lives can be saved through this structured drive on vaccination preventive diseases (VPD) and help avoid both chronic and acute conditions like cervical cancer, pneumococcal, swine flu and cholera.”
Commencing on the World Neighbourhood Day, the campaign will garner support from neighbourhood volunteers, corporates, various school and College Clubs, Rotary and RWAs to drive awareness among general public.
“Vaccination in India has primarily been administered to new born babies with parents’ taking ample precaution for their children with timely inoculation. However, a large share of adults and adolescent children are neglected leaving many susceptible to even life-threatening, yet easily preventable maladies. This initiative will help save lives, improve epidemiological surveillance and also offer a reasonably inexpensive and valuable protection against diseases”, says Preetha Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals Group.
“Soon, dedicated vaccination bays will be set up across all Apollo Hospitals and Apollo Clinics and subsequently, vaccinations will become a part of regular health check-up programmes,” she added.
EH News Bureau
