A few days ago, Accenture announced that the company will cover the cost of Covid-19 vaccination for all its 200,000 employees and their dependents in India. The initiative has already started and is valid for those who are enrolled on the company’s medical benefits programme.

According to sources, Rekha M. Menon, Chairperson and senior managing director at Accenture India stated, “For employees who are eligible and choose to receive the Covid-19 vaccination, Accenture will cover the cost for the employee and their dependents who are part of our medical benefits program.”

“As we continue to navigate the pandemic, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our people. At Accenture in India, we have continued to monitor and consider the guidance of external experts and groups, including international health organisations and local health authorities. Based on this, we strongly support the scientific and public health advice that encourages vaccination,” Menon added.

With the worsening situation of the second wave in India, it has been witnessed that several tech giants are coming forward to provide vaccinations for their employees as well as their family members. For instance, Tech Mahindra has started a COVID-19 vaccination drive for its employees and family, Wipro organising a Covid-19 vaccination camp for workers on the Bengaluru campus, among others.  

Accenture and Microsoft have a history of collaboration, including developing research on the importance of providing AI, among others. Last year, the IT giant joined hands with Microsoft and the Government of India’s Digital India Corporation (MyGov) to equip its 1.3 billion citizens with a Responsible AI tool that provides accurate and useful information on the pandemic. The AI-powered virtual agent referred to as MyGov Saathi can handle up to 300,000 users per day and 20,000 concurrent users per minute.