The change in attitude, say civic authorities, is a result of their sensitisation workshops, coupled with the rising graph of positive cases in the city and the state.
With swine flu cases soaring in the monsoon, medical professionals, who were until now apprehensive of taking the H1N1 vaccine, are suddenly making a beeline for it.
The change in attitude, say civic authorities, is a result of their sensitisation workshops, coupled with the rising graph of positive cases in the city and the state.
Unlike in June, when just about 70-odd doctors from civic hospitals had come forward to take the vaccine, the number has jumped to 380 within the first few days of this month.
“The willingness to take the vaccine among doctors had gone up significantly,” confirmed Dr Guirish Ambe, executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). “The sensitisation workshops are motivating many to take the vaccine,” said Ambe.
The civic-run Sion hospital that was provided with 500 vaccine doses has consumed a part of it. According to its dean Dr Sandhya Kamath, “More than 150 doses of the vaccine have already been administered to hospital staff.” She added that hospital staffers have been asking for them on their own now.
Surprisingly, however, doctors at one of the city’s busiest tertiary care hospital, KEM in Parel, still seem to be scared. A hospital insider said, “Only four people — a lab technician and three doctors — have taken the vaccine so far.” The KEM hospital was given 200 doses by the BMC. The BMC has maintained that no side effects of the vaccine have been recorded so far.
Even private hospitals like PD Hinduja at Mahim and Sushrusha hospital at Chembur have taken doses to vaccinate its staffers. Since the onset of monsoon, swine flu cases have multiplied, with 224 people having tested positive in Mumbai so far.
On Thursday, 20 more people, including six children, tested positive.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}