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NEW DELHI: Aiming to accelerate the pace of covid vaccination in the country, the health ministry on Wednesday announced the start of the second leg of Har Ghar Dastak campaign, or door-to-door vaccination drive.
Being implemented in “mission mode", the Har Ghar Dastak 2.0 drive will continue till 31 July, and aims to cover all eligible beneficiaries of first and second dose of covid vaccines.
“The major focus will also remain on improving sub-optimal coverage of persons aged ≥ 60years with precaution dose, along with considerably slower speed of coverage in the 12-14 years cohort by focused campaigns for old age homes, schools/colleges including the out-of-school children (for focussed coverage of children aged 12-18 years population), prisons, brick kilns," the health ministry said.
Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised states to focus on covering all eligible beneficiaries.
Under the national covid-19 vaccination drive so far, 193.57 crore doses have been administered across the country. About 96.3% of people above 15 years of age have received at least one dose and 86.3% have received both doses.
“States/UTs have been urged to undertake effective monitoring with respective micro-plans based on due-lists of all eligible beneficiaries. They were also urged to review administration of precaution dose to 18-59 years age-group with the private hospitals on a regular basis," as per a health ministry statement.
The initiative contributed immensely towards the success of the programme by reaching out to the last mile beneficiaries including the elderly, differently-abled and even the vaccine hesitant population, it added.