Ranchi/Jamshedpur: With the Centre providing in-principle approval to increase the number of Covid-19 vaccination centres across the country, Jharkhand will now increase them to around 100 from Monday. Currently, there are 48 vaccination centres — two each in the 24 districts of the state.
Talking to TOI on Sunday, Ravishankar Shukla, who is the managing director of the National Health Mission, Jharkhand unit, said, “As many as 45 centres will be added to the current lot. The district authorities have been asked to identify places in their respective areas which can be made into vaccination centres.”
He added, “Barring a few, most of the districts have been asked to add roughly four centres each. The number of centres will be increased as per the requirements which will depend on the number of targeted beneficiaries in the current phase of vaccination.”
The state health department, which has to administer vaccines to around 1.62 lakh beneficiaries in the first phase, is planning to wrap up administration of the first dose of the Covishield vaccine in the first phase by February 10. “Our turnout has gone up to 68% from last week when it was below 60%. Now with additional session sites, the first phase should be over by February 10, following which we can start administering the second dose from February 13,” Shukla said.
The state had earlier submitted a list of 129 centres across 24 districts which were selected as session sites for the vaccination drive. However, just a few days before the drive was set to begin, the Union government allowed vaccination in only 48 centres.
Meanwhile, a total of nine Covid vaccination centres will operate in the two adjoining districts of East Singhbhhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan from Monday, officials said.
East Singhbhhum, where two vaccination centres are currently operating, will add two more, additional chief medical officer Sahir Pall said. Sadar hospital in Pursudih and Tata Motors Hospital, Telco, will be the new additions while the existing one at the Tata Main Hospital will continue. “We are shifting the vaccination centre from MGMMCH’s medical college (at Dimna chowk) to the hospital (in Sakchi) from Monday,” Pall said.
East Singhbhum has vaccinated 695 health workers of the 1,000 beneficiaries, who have registered, in the first five days of the drive. “At each immunisation centre, 100 beneficiaries will receive vaccines every day,” Pall said, appealing to the health workers to come forward to get vaccinated.
In Seraikela-Kharsawan, three new vaccination centres at the community health centres of Nimdih, Ichagarh and Chandil will function from Monday.
The existing vaccination centres at sadar hospital in Seraikela and Kuchai blocks will continue. “From January 28, immunisation will be carried out at all the eight blocks,” district surveillance officer of Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jhujhar Majhi, said.