Dharwad gears up for COVID-19 vaccine drive

HUBBALLI: Dharwad district administration and health departments have geared up to start vaccinations drive from mid-January to health workers. In the first phase, more than 21,000 health workers in the district will get the vaccine shot.

Soon after the Drug Controller General of India approved for two coronavirus vaccines, the government has decided to start for inoculation drive and as it said the first shot of the vaccine will be given to health workers.

In the month of November 2020, the health department in the district has come up with a list of health care workers in the district. As per the district health department, there are more than 21,500 health workers in both government and private hospitals. The department has taken details of all these staffs who will avail the first shot of vaccine within a couple of weeks.

According to sources, the district administration has identified primary health centres, taluk hospitals and district hospitals and converted them as vaccination centres in the first phase. There are 61 Ice-Lined Refrigerator or cold chain points and 61 deep freezers in the district, in addition to this walk-in coolers, vaccine carriers, ice bags storage and many other requirements have been prepared in the district. Apart from storages at PHC, taluk hospitals, district hospital and KIMS hospital, there is a storage capacity of six lakh vials in the government warehouse in Dharwad.

Training for the staffs who will conduct the drive also given and a dry run will start in eight centres in Hubballi-Dharwad twin cities where the staff will get real experience of inoculation drive.

District Health Officer Yashwanth Madinkar said, till now they haven’t received any vaccine for inoculation, but they have prepared to take up the vaccination drive.

“Training has been given to concerned staffs and the department has identified 76 centres to give the vaccine to health workers in the first phase. Soon after we get directions from the government, will act accordingly,” he added.