LUCKNOW: In a record move, UP has created an infrastructure to store 2.24 lakh litres of Covid-19 vaccine in the state. This is one of the largest cold-chain spaces in the world though the calculation is based on the population size.
Officials claimed that not just India, UP’s network will be in the top-10 largest cold chain spaces of the world.
Of the total, 2.02 lakh litres was required in wake of the state’s population while the remaining has been earmarked as buffer or reserve for
contingency needs.
Sources said that the government has also decided to further raise the
storage area and add at least 50-60,000 litres into the buffer zone. Officials informed that prior to the arrangements, UP had about 80,000 litres of storage space.
“Cold chain is the backbone of the entire Covid-19 immunisation programme and considering the population size of UP, about two lakh litres of space was needed. The additional space is being created as a buffer to meet contingencies,” said a senior officer in the government.
The additional space has been added with the help of several private partners in public interest. “An elaborate plan for security of the storage units is also being given final shape by the state home department while
the health department is drawing the plan for training of the staff,” said sources.
It may be noted that UP was one of the first states to respond to the needs of the vaccination plan. The state government appointed
Unicef to undertake a need assessment and gap analysis on the basis of which the blueprint was drawn.