Jharkhand CM launches free vax drive for 18-44 yrs, 38,000 inoculated

RANCHI: Chief minister Hemant Soren on Friday inaugurated the Phase III statewide Covid-19 free vaccination drive to inoculate people in the age group of 18 and 44 years. Of the total of 1.57 crore beneficiaries eligible in this phase, 37,682 people were vaccinated at 585 sites on the inaugural day. Another 40,900 beneficiaries booked their slots to take the jabs on Friday. Among those vaccinated, 856 people took their shots in Ranchi.
Soren inaugurated the drive from the vaccination session site set up for the phase at Shri Krishna Institute of Public Administration (SKIPA) on Meur’s Road and he oversaw the vaccination of the first two beneficiaries. Health minister Banna Gupta and health department secretary Arun Kumar Singh were also present on the occasion.
Talking to reporters after the inauguration, Soren said, “After much delay, we have begun the vaccination drive for the people aged between 18 and 44 years. We will provide free vaccines to everyone in the state.”
Though Soren promised free vaccines for all in the state, the health department is yet to chalk out its strategy for initiating the drive in private hospitals of the state. As of Friday, Jharkhand had 1,483 session sites, of which 37 are private. Sources in the department said the vaccine will be administered at sites run by the government until further consignments of Covishield and Covaxin arrive in the state. Currently, Jharkhand has procured a little over four lakh doses for the drive.
The beneficiaries seemed upbeat with the start of the drive amid the surge in Covid cases in the state. In Palamu, Chaibasa and Bokaro, long queues were seen at the session sites two hours before the scheduled opening at 10 am.
After getting the jab at the Ranchi Women’s College on Circular Road, 20-year-old college-goer Samir Kumar said, “Vaccination is the only way to protect ourselves and our family members. Hence, I did not waste time and registered myself to get the shot.”
Later in the day, Soren virtually inaugurated a new PSA oxygen plant which has been set up at the Sahibganj sadar hospital and inaugurated an RT-PCR testing facility.
Speaking at the event, Soren directed the officials to ensure that village mukhiyas, ward councillors and zila parishad members among others are vaccinated on priority. “Stopping the spread of the Covid-19 virus in rural areas is our topmost priority,” he added.