Nagpur: Senior citizens and those with comorbidities will not have to travel far from their homes to register for the Covid jab as the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has engaged staff to go to residential areas. The 100 thus appointed have been equipped with laptops. Also, the civic body plans to add 38 vaccination centres to the existing 72.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI that the staff has been divided equally among the 10 zones. “Officials at zone offices with the help of NGOs, social organizations and public representatives will arrange special camps for registration which will be attended by the staff. This will help in expediting vaccination, reduce waiting time of beneficiaries at centres and prevent crowding,” he said.
The civic chief said the staff has already started working in four zones on Friday and will begin in the remaining six from Saturday.
Radhakrishnan also said a proposal seeking permission to allow vaccination centres at 30 private hospitals not empanelled under government schemes was sent to the government on Friday. “At present, we are operating vaccination centres in 14 of total 26 urban primary health centres (UPHCs). Vaccination will begin at more eight UPHCs,” he said.
The NMC has observed that people residing in nearby areas rush to a vaccination centre as soon as it opens. “Gradually, the number reduces. This surely means people do not want to travel far for getting the jab. The 38 new centres, which should begin functioning from next week, and the existing ones are spread across all areas. In case any area is remaining, we will shift an existing centre which has fewer beneficiaries,” said Radhakrishnan.
Of the 72 centres, 45 are in private hospitals and 27 in NMC and government-run hospitals and UPHCs.
Zilla parishad CEO Yogesh Kumbhejkar had successfully implemented a similar programme in the rural parts last week. Centres were increased to 85 of which 69 are in government hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs) and 16 in private hospitals.
Vaccination started in all PHCs. Apart from this, ZP engaged staff of gram panchayat and anganwadi sevikas who started to visit houses, inform residents about the vaccination programme, note done details of eligible people and link them with nearby PHCs.
In city, number of beneficiaries was 11,207 on March 13. Since then, the numbers are on the decline. A 10,398 took the jab on March 15 followed by 9,061 on March 16, 8,445 on March 17, 7,538 on March 18 and 8,725 on March 19.
The rural areas has seen a climb. A 6,513 took the jab on March 13 followed by 9,885 on March 15, 10,640 on March 17 and 10,729 on March 19. PHCs are not doing vaccination on regular immunization of children on Tuesdays and Thursdays.