Ranchi: The day-long dry run of the Covid-19 vaccination programme on Saturday was termed as a success with 325 health workers across six districts participating in it to check their preparedness and the functioning of the Co-WIN app, which will be used extensively during the actual vaccination drive.
The nodal officer for the dry run in state, Dr Ajit Prasad, said, “If required, we will make changes to the actual vaccination programme based on the feedback we get from today’s drill.”
The dry run was conducted across three centres – the community healthcare centre (CHC) at Ratu, sub-divisional hospital (SDH) at Bundu and sadar hospital — in Ranchi, while the rest of the five districts — Simdega, Pakur, Palamu, East Singhbhum and Chatra – had two centres each for conducting it. Apart from selecting their respective sadar hospitals, Simdega had selected CHC Kolebira, East Singhbhum SDH Ghatshila, Chatra CHC Simaria and Pakur had picked its primary healthcare centre in Dangapara as their second centres for the exercise.
All the participating health workers got themselves vaccinated by injecting a fake syringe after getting their names verified on the register and on the Co-WIN app under the supervision of senior health and administrative officials.
Dr Prasad said they had asked a few participants to fake some minor and major complications during the drill after getting the vaccine shot so that the on-duty staff are not caught unawares and they know what to do in case a person falls sick during the actual vaccination drive.
When asked about the curative measures that they will take if a person falls ill during the actual drive, Dr Prasad said, “The SOP from the Union health ministry has asked all the vaccination sites to set up resting areas and beds equipped with oxygen cylinders for such emergencies. We had made all the aforementioned arrangements today so that the staff could familiarise themselves with the protocols.”
TOI paid a visit to Ranchi Sadar Hospital and the operator working on the Co-WIN app said the application worked smoothly and they didn’t face any problem during the mock drill.
Meanwhile in Palamu, DC Shashi Ranjan said the dry run was required as it will help in subsiding fear which is usually associated with vaccine shots.
Meanwhile, Palamu civil surgeon Dr John F Kennedy said that since the Covid vaccine shot will be administered twice in all probability, as and when it arrives, those taking the first shot at a particular centre will be required to go back to the same place for the second round of vaccination. “In all probability, the second shot will administered 28 days from the first one,” he added.
(With inputs from Daltonganj by M F Ahmad)