NOIDA: A less than 50% turnout of paramedical staff, including Asha and Anganwadi workers, due to hesitancy and a wait-and-watch approach, coupled with glitches in Co-WIN app, has prompted the GB Nagar health department to step up measures for the next vaccination session slated for January 28-29.
It will now send out the list of health workers three days in advance to ensure early intimation for the drive. The district health department has also increased the number of centres from 14 to 31 and the session sites (booths) have also been increased from 42 to 60.
Dr Neeraj Tyagi, district immunisation officer and in-charge of Covid vaccination drive in GB Nagar, said, “We have increased the number of centres to 31 from the earlier 14 and session sites to 60 from 42. A total of 6,000 recipients will be vaccinated on Thursday. While no changes can be made to the overall target list of 24,453 healthcare workers (HCWs) for the first phase, we have started sending out the list to the centres from Monday so that they can inform the staff in advance and ensure 100% attendance.”
When asked about the low turnout of 49% on January 22, Dr Tyagi said that the app was a major hindrance. “It took a lot of time to load resulting in delay in the registration and verification process while many recipients either didn’t turn up or were out of town,” he said. Also, many paramedical staff were hesitant and gave the drive a miss. “I did not want to risk the side effects as I’m the only earning member in the family,” said an Asha worker.