NOIDA/GHAZIABAD: Private hospitals in Noida and Ghaziabad are preparing to set up session sites on their premises, with the Union government recently announcing that many more non-government healthcare facilities will be used for the next phase of the
Covid vaccination drive to inoculate those who are above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities.
While no information has been given by the state government regarding the guidelines yet, health authorities in the two cities are preparing to vaccinate people based on the electoral rolls though there would be a number of walk-ins as well.
According to the current data, there are about 4 lakh senior citizens in Noida and around 5 lakh in Ghaziabad. However, the numbers could be higher, especially with the cities having a large migrant population. Sources said the state may also allow about 40% walk-in beneficiaries at every centre. However, there are no formal guidelines yet.
Dr Deepak Ohri, chief medical officer of Noida, said, “We are still waiting for the state guidelines for the next phase of the vaccination drive. We have over 4 lakh registered beneficiaries according to the electoral rolls. However, we are unsure about the walk-ins. The problem is that Noida has a huge migrant population and there are many aren’t registered voters here.”
Private hospitals, however, say they are facing a similar problem. “The government has said that vaccination in this phase will be based on voter IDs, but many people here don’t have it. Some
elderly live with their children, others belong to a different state but have settled here after retirement. They are not sure how they will get the
vaccine. And we currently have no guidelines in place,” said Ajit Kumar, spokesperson for Sharda University and Hospital.
Sharda hospital said that its centre has been readied with adequate medical staff and waiting rooms. It has a capacity to vaccinate 2,000 people a day.
“Based on the addresses in the electoral rolls, we have been asked to ensure the centres are within a km for everyone,” said Neeraj Tyagi, district immunisation officer.
Dr Dinesh Sharma of Kailash Hospital, said, “We have the centre ready. Since, this is a high-risk group, medical officers will be deputed and the emergency ward will be ready too with the code blue team.”
Dr Sunil Dagar, COO of Yashoda Hospital, Kaushambi, said, “As a tertiary care hospital, we have all the facility to maintain vaccines in the cold chain as well as administer the shots. Our staff has also undergone training.”
Dr Abhishek Kulshrestha, the WHO surveillance medical officer, said, “Government sites will offer the jabs free of cost and private on a paid basis (as decided by the central government).”