MedPark Hospital is offering free Covid-19 vaccine doses to thousands of medical staff working in private clinics in the capital in a bid to boost confidence in vaccination, said Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
The privately-owned hospital is offering the vaccines until tomorrow under its "Save Doctors, Save People, Save Thailand" campaign, he said.
A total of 2,116 medical staff registered to get a shot of the vaccine via the Thai Clinic Association, Mr Anutin said.
They are regarded as an at-risk group because they come in close contact with Covid-19 patients. They are also considered to be a priority group for inoculation.
Over 90% of medical staff working in state-owned hospitals have already been vaccinated, according to the ministry.
Mr Anutin, who is also deputy prime minister, visited MedPark's vaccination site on Rama IV Road in Klong Toey district yesterday, expressing his appreciation to the hospital.
He noted the hospital's sacrifice, saying it has done a wonderful thing in helping reduce the ministry's burden. Mr Anutin said the hospital worked with the government to quickly provide shots to Thais.
He said the government is providing safe and efficient vaccines to people, adding that people should get vaccinated because no one is safe until the majority of people is safe.
Meanwhile, Dr Pongpat Patanvanich, the hospital's managing director, said the hospital would like to boost public confidence in vaccination.
Dr Pongpat underlined Mr Anutin's message, noting the kingdom should aim to create herd immunity as fast as possible.
MedPark Hospital's vaccination site is created in line with ministry guidelines, which require a registration zone, filtering zone and 30-minute observation zone, Dr Pongpat said.
The hospital expects to have received 700 vaccine recipients per day by the time it wraps up, he said.