Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu Inaugurates the Covishield Vaccination drive at SIMS Hospital, Vadapalani

• 1500 frontline workers to be administered the COVID 19 vaccination free of cost as part of phase - I of the immunization drive 

Chennai, January 19, 2021 : SIMS Hospitals (SRM Institutes for Medical Science), Vadapalani, one of the leading multi specialty hospitals in Chennai, joins India’s biggest vaccination drive against COVID 19 with ‘Covishield’ vaccine, beginning today!

Sitting: (L to R) Dr. J. Radhakrishnan I.A.S., Principal Secretary - Health and Family Welfare Department, Govt. of TN; Mr. Ravi Pachamoothoo, Chairman, SRM Group Standing: (L to R) : Dr. P. Kuganantham, HOD - Community Medicine & Infectious Diseases, SIMS Hospital; Dr. K. Sridhar, Director - Institute of Craniofacial, Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery, SIMS Hospital; Dr. S. J. Aswin Sayiram, Chief - Strategy & Operations, SIMS Hospital; Dr. Raju Sivasamy - Vice President, SIMS Hospital

Inaugurated by Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, the ‘Covishield’ Vaccine will be provided free of cost to about 1500 healthcare workers as well as frontline workers of SIMS Hospital, in this phase-I of vaccination drive. Using their Government identity cards, health workers can register themselves to avail the free dose of ‘Covishiled’ vaccine. 

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. J. Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu said, “Building trust and confidence to motivate people to get vaccinated for good against COVID 19 is very important. I personally got the immunization vaccine administered to emphasize the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. I am truly elated that the health workers who have already got vaccinated against COVID 19 are responding well to the vaccination too. Once the beneficiaries get their first dose of vaccine, they are still required to maintain all COVID 19 safety measures like wearing mask and sanitising their hands and diligently come for their second dose of vaccination without missing it”.

Mr Ravi Pachamoothoo, Chairman, SRM Hospitals, said, “It brings me great pride that SIMS Hospitals is part of this historic effort and has joined India’s biggest immunization drive against COVID 19 with ‘Covishield’ Vaccine. I feel proud to mention that SIMS Hospital has treated more than 3500 COVID patients in the past 10 months. Now, I am happy to share that eminent Doctors, Heads of Departments, including myself were among the first to take the Covishield Vaccine at SIMS. We sincerely thank the Tamil Nadu Government and the Central Government for giving us this opportunity to benefit a lot of people to get back to their normal lives and help them regain their livelihood” .

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