Prayagraj: Only 17% of recipients from rural areas fully vaccinated against Covid

PRAYAGRAJ: About 53.3 percent recipients living in urban areas in Sangam City have received both the doses while recipients living in rural areas who received both the doses was merely 17 percent.
Similarly, about 81.5 percent recipients living in urban areas have received at least single dose whereas number of recipients living in rural areas who received single dose was 63 percent only.
Statistics revealed by health department on Tuesday claimed that total population of Prayagraj district is estimated around 69.22 lakhs wherein the population of vax recipients (18 plus aged people) who would be given doses was around 44,08,280 recipients including 34,19,225 in rural areas and 9,89,055 in urban areas. Out of total 29,82,102 first or single doses given to recipients in the Prayagraj district, about 63 percent rural based recipients(21,76,443) and 81.5 percent of urban based recipients (8,05,659) doses were given so far. Out of 11,09,489 second dose given to eligible recipients in the district, as many as 5,27,608 urban based recipients (53.3 %)and 5,81,879 rural based recipients have received the second dose so far.
Additional Chief medical officer and Nodal Officer (Covid-19 vaccination) Dr Teerath Lal told TOI that about 63.86 percent of total population of Prayagraj district, aged 18 plus, is targeted for vaccination. He added as many as 29,82,102 first dose given in the district which included 21,76,443 in rural area and 8,05,659 in urban area. He claimed that the number of recipients who received the first dose in the district was 67.6 percent while 25.2 percent of total recipients were also fully vaccinated in Sangam city.
The number of rural based recipients who received first dose was satisfactory but the percentage of recipients who received second dose was insufficient. ACMO, however, said majority of recipients, who are scheduled to be given doses, are living in rural areas. Health department is making sincere efforts to reach out to each and every targeted recipient, he added.The department has also taken up door to door vaccination in all 20 blocks of the district and separate teams of CHO (community health officer) and ANM (ground level health worker) are asked to cover at least 50 recipients in each gram panchayat every day.
Moreover, department has also taken up door to door vaccination campaign in at least five lowest vaccination gram panchayat areas under its week long vaccination drive in trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna areas.
Senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Anupam Dwivedi, meanwhile said, health officials are reviewing the status of vaccination being taken out in rural areas on daily basis. He added specially constituted health teams are constantly interacting with rural masses to promote vaccination in far remote areas and aware eligible recipients to take jabs and for that, health workers are also knocking their doors in all villages and blocks. Health department here aims to cover all eligible male and female recipients in all villages of the district under the vax drive and entire exercise is being done under a micro plan, he added.