COVID-19: Odisha govt to vaccinate HIV people on priority

BHUBANESWAR: The State government on Thursday directed to vaccinate people with HIV (PLHIV) on priority basis through on-site registration in CoWIN portal and mobilising them to the nearby Covid vaccination centres. Although the PLHIV have an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and fatal outcomes, they were out of the Odisha government’s priority vaccination list.

The direction came following a report titled ‘HIV+ve people remain outside vaccine radar’ in TNIE on June 11 that highlighted the plight of the HIV patients who are yet to be administered Covid vaccine despite their high comorbid condition.  

In a letter to all collectors, municipal commissioners and CDMOs, Additional Chief Secretary of Health PK Mohapatra said the government has decided to prioritise Covid-19 vaccination of all eligible PLHIV. Since NACO and the Centre have advised that all PLHIV (irrespective of CD4 count and viral load) should undergo the complete schedule of Covid-19 vaccination for protecting themselves and also to limit the spread of disease to their contacts including family members, friends and co-workers, they should be vaccinated on priority, stated the letter.

As decided, the districts will take immediate steps to mobilise the HIV patients to the nearby vaccination centres and get them registered in the CoWIN portal onsite before vaccination. The State has nearly 20,000 PLHIV,  enrolled in 15 ART and Facility Integrated ART (FI-ART) centres , who are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.

Even as HIV infection was one of the 20 criteria of comorbid people listed by the Ministry of Health to be vaccinated on a priority basis from March 1, they were struggling to get their jab due to lack of comorbidity certificates. They had demanded the PLHIV people with green cards should be given preference for vaccination on production of the card as proof of identity instead of forcing them to collect comorbidity certificate.