March 16th is celebrated as National Vaccination Day or National Immunization Day in India every year, to emphasize the importance of vaccination. The day was observed for the first time in 1995, the year in which the Pulse Polio Program was launched in the country.
National Vaccination Day is extremely relevant this year as India has started its biggest immunization program against COVID-19 by producing, supplying, administering and even exporting the largest number of COVID-19 doses.
India has already vaccinated more than 1 crore people. Additionally, it has exported about 5 crores of vaccine doses to its neighbouring countries. Currently, the country is administering about 1.5 lakhs of vaccine doses on a daily basis.
Role of corporates in Vaccination in India
India houses about 1.3 billion people in the country. At the current rate of vaccinating 1.5 lakh people every day, it will take about 35 years to vaccinate all the people. Emphasising on the pace, Wipro founder and philanthropist Azim Premji has urged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to engage the private sector and speed up the country’s Covid-19 vaccination effort. He said involving the private sector may help the country cover 50 crore vaccinations against COVID in just two months.
In this context let us look at the role of corporates in funding the COVID-19 Vaccination drive in India.
K Raheja Corp covers vaccination cost for all its employees across India
K Raheja Corp, has announced that it will cover the cost of Covid-19 vaccination for all its employees in its offices across India. As India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive is in its advanced stages, and as business resumes, companies are re-opening and employees are returning to their offices. As the country celebrates National Vaccination Day the company has announced its initiative to ensure the safety of its employees, where it will cover the vaccination costs while encouraging employees to join the drive to make India free of the pandemic. While the vaccination process is voluntary, the company is encouraging employees to proceed with the vaccination in the interest of their own safety as well as colleagues at the workplace. This initiative is in alignment with the Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Piramal Enterprises Ltd. to Cover Cost for COVID-19 Vaccination for All its Employees
Piramal Enterprises Limited today announced that it will absorb the cost of COVID-19 vaccination for all its employees and their immediate family members that are eligible and choose to receive the vaccination in India. The company has also set up virtual vaccine helpdesks across its offices in India to address employee queries on the vaccination including enabling registrations, information on vaccination centres, etc. Opting for the vaccine is at the discretion of employees and they are urged to make an informed decision for themselves and their family.
Aspire Systems Commits To Cover The COVID Vaccination Cost Of around 2500 Employees And Their Families
Aspire Systems, a global technology services firm, has announced its plans to cover the COVID-19 vaccination costs of its employees and their families. Around 2500 employees and their families will benefit from this initiative. The policy will support Aspire employees, their spouses and two children and the employees’ parents by reimbursing the cost of both the vaccine doses.
Schaeffler India announces cost coverage of COVID-19 vaccination for all eligible employees
Leading industrial and automotive supplier, Schaeffler India Limited announced that it will cover the COVID-19 vaccination cost for all eligible employees. The initiative is aimed to safeguard the well-being of employees from the emerging second wave of deadly COVID-19 pandemic. The company has urged all its employees, eligible for vaccination, to register themselves through the government app CoWIN/Aarogya Setu and follow the set process to receive the vaccination. The company will reimburse the costs of two mandated vaccine shots for all the entitled employees.
ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India pledges free Covid-19 vaccination for its employees
ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Private Limited has announced the commencement of the Covid-19 vaccination drive for all its employees as well as their dependents in line with the ongoing government guidelines. The inoculation drive will cover both shots of the COVID-19 vaccine in phases as defined by the authorities covering senior citizens and people with co-morbidities first, followed by a wider application in the general population. Apart from the on-roll employees, the program will also cover the apprentices and will be working with its suppliers to cover the third-party workers.
