DIANA FERNANDES | NT
Margao
The Cortalim primary health centre (PHC) has registered a total of 931 vaccinations since the start of the vaccination drive in January. The PHC has planned to take the vaccination drive to the village level under its jurisdiction after holding talks with respective village panchayats.
Speaking to this daily, Cortalim PHC medical officer Dr Socorro Quadros informed of the number of vaccinations that have been done at the centre so far.
“Since the beginning of the COVID vaccination drive in January, we have had a total of 931 vaccinations at the PHC. For the two-day vaccination drive that was held on Monday and Tuesday, we have had a total of 96 vaccinations; 50 were given on Monday and 46 on Tuesday,” he said.
He further added that so far the vaccination drive had gone well but the PHC was aiming to vaccinate more people by taking it to the village level.
“We have received good response for the vaccination drive but we are now aiming to launch a satellite immunisation plan where we will take the drive to the villages.
We have held talks with panchayats that are covered under the health centre and have asked them to submit a list of names of persons above the age of 60 years and persons with co-morbidities between the 45 to 59 age group who want to be vaccinated. The village of Chicalim has submitted a list and we are planning to start door-to-door vaccination there first,” said Dr Quadros.
Similar talks were also held with the village panchayats of Verna, Quelossim and Nagoa and they too have been requested to submit a list of names of those willing to receive the vaccination. The door-to-door system, said the medical officer, would also go a long way in reducing crowds at the health centre.
“We do not want to create a rush of people at the health centre for the vaccination which may create confusion. So we have decided to try this system. Our aim is to conduct between 100 to 150 vaccinations by the end of the vaccination drive. Initially people were not willing to receive the vaccine, but steadily they are realising that it is good.
We have not had any case of adverse reaction from those who have received the vaccine shot,” he said.
The state began the COVID vaccination drive for medical staff and frontline workers in the month of January this year. In the second phase, senior citizens and persons between the age group of 45 and 59 with co-morbid conditions are being given the vaccine jab. Staff members of the Cortalim PHC have also received the jab, informed Dr Quadros.