HYDERABAD: As per estimates drawn of prospective
Covid-19 vaccine beneficiaries in each state,
Telangana stands 13th among 20 big states in the country, while
Andhra Pradesh stands at the 10th place. Though the initial number of doses supplied to each state will depend on these numbers, there is no clarity as of now on how many doses will come in the first lot.
As per estimates (based on Census figures and data from the National Family Health Survey-5) Telangana has 79 lakh people above
50 years, which is one of the four categories of beneficiaries. State health authorities peg number of people above 50 to be around 67 lakh and the number of beneficiaries could be around 80lakh to 85 lakh.
Telangana has been allotted 1.6 crore doses by the Centre, which would most likely come in a phased manner. State health authorities, however, are preparing for a capacity to store the entire 1.6 crore doses in one go.
“As of now, we do know how many doses will be supplied in the first lot. Initially, we were asked to prepare the list of
healthcare workers first, which has been done. As for frontline workers of police, panchayat raj and municipal administration department, there are 1.5 lakh beneficiaries. However, we have prepared the capacity to store the entire 1.6 crore doses. If they are supplied in one go, we are ready to accept and we can complete
vaccination of all the beneficiaries in a single phase,” director public health Dr G Srinivasa Rao said.
Beginning mid-January, when the vaccination programme might be rolled out in the state, the first lot to be taken up would be healthcare workers. Telangana has identified 2.75 lakh healthcare workers, including those from government and private facilities, and is now registering frontline workers on the CoWin software. Meanwhile, state health authorities have given internal orders for identification of civil society organizations that can be included in the vaccination drives.