PATNA: Altogether 250
private hospitals enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, and 1,000 health &
wellness centres across the state, will be used to carry out the
vaccination drive for priority groups, including senior citizens, which will begin from Monday across the country. Large spaces in the district headquarters are also being identified for this purpose, said a health department official.
The official further said that in the first week, the primary health centres (PHCs) and wellness centres will be used at the lowest level to gather experience based on which the department will decide on vaccination centres at the grass-root level.
Mangal Pandey, the state health minister, has informed the vaccination
drive would begin from Monday, and details would be shared on Friday.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has already instructed all states to be ready for this mega drive. “Given the anticipated high number of beneficiaries to be vaccinated in the forthcoming days, the states and UTs are advised to ensure all public health facilities...should be prepared for Covid-19 vaccination on all designated days beginning March 1,” reads a part of the letter sent by Bhushan to the states.
He further asked the states to ensure such facilities are mapped to specific cold chain points, and last-mile transport logistics from cold chain points to these facilities are finalized.
Sources said the health department on Thursday reviewed the problems which may occur in vaccinating such a large group and is waiting for the SOP from the
Centre, which is expected on Friday. An official said there are "certain confusions" over this phase of the vaccination that need clarity.
For instance, while the Union health secretary in his letter to the states mentioned that people above 50 years and those with comorbidities would be vaccinated, Union minister Prakash Javadekar at a press conference on Wednesday said those above 60 years and those above 45 years with comorbidities would be vaccinated. Bihar will have around two crore beneficiaries if vaccination of those above 50 years is done. In the case of another priority group, the number will reduce.
The Centre has also not given clarity on the use of the Co-WIN 2.0 app, which would be used for the registration of senior citizens or those with comorbidities. A day earlier, the state health department principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit had said they would first hold a mock drill on Saturday and Sunday before starting the vaccination of priority groups from Monday.