In a first in India, Jharkhand to start mobile Covid-19 vax drive

Ranchi: The state government is gearing up to launch a mobile Covid-19 vaccination programme for the beneficiaries who are living in urban as well as rural areas by the end of May. If implemented, the programme will be the first in India, sources in the state health department told TOI.
Under the programme, custom-made mobile vaccination vans will be dispatched to localities in a city or in block headquarters in rural areas. The beneficiaries will be able to register themselves on the spot and take their jabs.
While beneficiaries above 45 years can avail on-the-spot registration, the state government has filed a plea before the Supreme Court on May 16 seeking the removal of mandatory prior registration through Co-WIN portal, Arogya Setu and Umang application for eligible beneficiaries aged between 18-44 years.
The programme will be launched on a pilot basis in Ranchi district, which has reported the most number of Covid-19 cases and mortalities during the ongoing second wave of the pandemic in the state. Chief minister Hemant Soren is likely to inaugurate the programme once the decks are cleared.
“Besides facilitating vaccination drives in rural parts of Jharkhand, it will also help to reduce the waiting time and congestion in the designated session sites,” Anjanyelu Dodde, the nodal officer for Covid-19 vaccination in Jharkhand, said.
Customised vans carrying vials of Covid-19 vaccines in ice-lined refrigerator boxes will roll into different localities of Ranchi. On-board doctors and medical staff will register the beneficiaries on the spot, administer them vaccines and watch out for adverse effects following immunisation. As on Sunday evening, Jharkhand had a little over 1,200 vaccination centres. Government-run session sites are witnessing a surge in beneficiaries since a Centre order halted vaccination in private session sites across the state.
Out of the 1.57 crore beneficiaries aged between 18-44 years, 3.34 lakh people took their first doses since the drive began on May 1.
“We are currently experiencing a shortage of vaccines. Once the stocks arrive, we are likely to start the programme,” Dodde said.