LUDHIANA: Even as the Covid-19
vaccination drive in Ludhiana has received a lukewarm response so far, the health department is set to increase the number of
vaccination sites from Thursday. On Wednesday, vaccination was done at only two sites, both private hospitals, by four teams.
Confirming the plan to increase the site count, civil surgeon Dr Sukhjeevan Kakkar said 11 teams would be sent to various vaccination sites to inoculate healthcare workers (HCW). He said five teams would administer the vaccine to the HCWs at community health centres (CHCs), while the remaining would do the same at CMCH and SPS Hospital during the day.
The civil surgeon said the vaccination drive at certain centres, including Civil Hospital Ludhiana, was suspended on Wednesday, as the number of persons to be vaccinated was below the expectation. Vaccination at these centres would start once there is sufficient number of people to be vaccinated.
Health department officials said on Tuesday, about 340 HCWs were vaccinated at various centres, including DMCH, CMCH, Fortis Hospital, and sub-divisional hospitals (SDH) at Jagraon and Samrala. They said on Wednesday, four teams are vaccinating the HCWs at CMCH and Fortis Hospital, and the day’s target has been set at 400.
Health officials said after the department started the drive at various hospitals, including the Civil Hospital, SDHs and some private hospitals with over 100 employees, the HCWs at these health outlets, who were willing to take the shot, were administered the first dose. Not many HCWs at these hospitals are left for the first shot, they said.
Now, the government hospitals in peripheries have been asked to vaccinate the staff of neighbouring private hospitals/ clinics with less than 100 staff members, the officials said, adding that the going is unlikely to be a smooth affair at the government hospitals, as there does not seem to be much enthusiasm among the HCWs there to take the vaccine.