PATNA: The frequency of
Covid vaccination has been increased to all seven days in
Patna and a few other districts to speed-up the immunization process. Patna DM Dr Chandrasekhar Singh confirmed that the vaccination is now being done every day to fulfil the target of immunisation.
PMCH superintendent Dr Bimal Karak said though there was a target of 200 to be vaccinated on Friday, the hospital gave the shots to 239 people. Among those vaccinated were doctors, nursing staff and other employees. Dr Vaibhav Shandilya, of the dental department, who got the vaccine shot on Friday, said it was a great relief to get immunised against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Patna civil surgeon Dr Vibha Kumari also said all vaccination centres in the district are now carrying out the immunisation every day.
Bhojpur district immunization officer Dr Sanjay Kumar Sinha told this newspaper on Friday that the vaccination drive will now be held daily from Saturday at all 16 centres, including the Ara Sadar Hospital =and the Sunilam Hospital Ara.
Sinha said the target in the first phase of the drive, the target is to inoculate about 9,000 beneficiaries, out of whom 2,500 have got the vaccine. “Our target is to finish the first phase of the targeted vaccination at the earliest as it has to be completed by February 8. At some centres, just 200 targeted beneficiaries are yet to be vaccinated, which can be completed in two days. At other centres where 300 to 500 beneficiaries remain to be vaccinated, are also likely to be inoculated in a couple of days .”
Manish Kumar, Katihar district programme manager said, “We have been told to secure target either in one day or seven days, but finish the target as early as possible.”
He added, “Till January 23, we have achieved 66 % of the target which means 11,880 beneficiaries have been vaccinated so far. Around 6,120 people will remain for vaccination. The total target for vaccination in the district for health workers is 18,000 and we have been asked to complete the task before February 9.”
Begusarai civil surgeon Krishna Mohan Verma on Friday said he has so far not received any directive to carry out Covid vaccination on all seven days of the week. However, as per DIO Hareram Kumar altogether 4,597 people were given the jabs till Thursday covering about 70% of the target.
In Gaya, the vaccination of Covid-19 is already being done all seven days in a week at ANMMCH, civil surgeon Kamal Kishore Rai said. Superintendent Harish Chandra Hari, too, confirmed that vaccination being done on all seven days at the hospital.
However, at other centres, vaccination is being done only twice a week, Rai said. A total of 5,924 people have been vaccinated against the target of 11,937, which is 50℅ of the target.
At Bhagalpur, the vaccination centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital (JLNMCH) will provide vaccination on all working days (Monday to Saturday).
The vaccination at JLNMCH will be in addition to the provisions at the other 17 vaccination centres in the district that provide Corona vaccines to the health workers on Mondays and Thursdays in every week since the vaccination drive started on January 16.
(With inputs from Praveen, Sanjeev Mishra, Rajiv Kumar and Kumar Rajesh)