Vaccination drive for children with special needs conducted

Bengaluru: Manipal Hospitals organised an exclusive vaccination drive for children with special needs in the age group of 15-18 years today across all its centres in Bengaluru. The vaccination drive was conducted with the support of Samarthanam Trust for Disabled, and Asha Kiran Special Needs School, and a few NGO's accounting to nearly 100 children receiving the vaccination across the centres.

The vaccination drive took place at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, Sarjapur, Varthur, Yeshwanthpur, Whitefield, and Hebbal. Manipal Hospitals organised the vaccination slots for the special needs children with the objective of immunising the children against COVID-19.

Omicron, the new contagious variant of the COVID-19 virus, is putting children at risks of infection, and special needs children at increased risk of health complications. Recognising this challenge, Manipal Hospitals came up with this initiative to provide access to the first dose of vaccination for the differently-abled children.

The vaccination drive was a successful initiative with the hospital following the guidelines provided by the state government. This was exclusively designed at the dedicated paediatric area in the hospital which was manned by vaccine officers, nurses and doctors as per government guidelines. The COO, Manipal Health Enterprises Pvt Ltd.,Karthik Rajagopal said, "Manipal Hospitals believes in providing accessible healthcare to all. Bringing light to the concept of for the children - by the children, few of the employee kids across the units, came forward with their piggy bank box in order to support the needy ones in the vaccination drive. We are delighted to launch the vaccination drive for special needs children today. Manipal Hospitals has provided exclusive slots to ensure smooth a vaccination drive for children with special healthcare needs."

He added, This initiative can be a support for the parents and caretakers of special needs children, giving them some relief against Covid during the pandemic. We would like to thank Samarthanam Trust for Disabled and Asha Kiran Special Needs School for participating in this initiative. The Founder and Director, Asha Kiran Special Needs School, Horamavu, Dr. Rita James said, "I am grateful to Manipal Hospitals for this initiative. The children found themselves comfortable as the doctors and nurses were generous and guided them through the process. We all encountered an extremely difficult situation during the second wave of Covid-19." For children, it was worse. So, to get children vaccinated and provide protection against Covid-19 has been extremely important. This initiative by Manipal Hospitals therefore, is most appreciated," she said.