Bhubaneswar: At least 85 per cent of the targeted Health Care Workers (HCW) including doctors in Odisha Saturday were administered the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the nationwide vaccination program.
The program started with a class-IV frontline worker of Capital Hospital being administered with COVAXIN shot at the Capital Hospital here immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the programme at New Delhi.
The vaccination program was carried out in all the 161 session sites spread across Odisha, which scripts success, thanks to sincere efforts of Health Team Odisha led by ACS Health & Family Welfare Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra, said a senior official.
“The first vaccine was administered on a class-IV frontline worker at 11.05 am at the Capital Hospital here. He was followed by the Director of Capital Hospital and a doctor,” Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Mr.Mohapatra briefed Media here.
The first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine was identified as Biranchi Naik (51), sources said adding that the first COVID-19 positive case was detected in Bhubaneswar on 15 March, 2020.
The State Capital also reported Odisha’s first coronavirus death on 7 April.
Among prominent persons who received the vaccine on the day-1 were: DMET Prof CBK Mohanty, AIIMS director Gitanjali B, SUM Hospital VC Prof Ashok Mohapatra, SCB Medical College Medicine department head Prof Jayant Panda, Capital Hospital director Dr L D Sahu and many doctors.
Mr.Mohapatra said as many as 16,100 people comprising the health care workers and anganwadi workers will receive the vaccine on the first day. However, till 7 pm, about 81 per cent of the targeted people have already taken vaccine.
“There is absolutely no side effect of the vaccine. One person in Dhenkanal, however, complained head reeling and he was discharged after preliminary treatment,” a health department statement said.
Mr.Mohapatra said that the state government has set a target to complete the first phase of vaccination for 3.28 lakh people by January 25. He said the state has received both Covishield and Covaxin vaccines. “The state has so far received vaccine for 1.93 lakh people and expecting receipt of more vaccines soon,” Mr.Mohapatra.
He said the vaccination programme will be halted on Sunday in order to observe the impact of the vaccination done on Saturday.
The ACS, Health and Family Welfare said that the Director of Capital Hospital and prominent doctors are being given the vaccine in the first phase in order to clear doubts in the mind of the people on the safety of the vaccines.
He said while the people across the state are being given Covishield vaccine, the indigenously developed Covaxin is administered in the state capital jurisdiction.
Directorate of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Director CBK Mohanty said extensive arrangements have been made for the mega vaccination drive. All protocols are being followed and necessary infrastructures have been created across districts for the vaccination drive.
Dr.Mohanty said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will take feedback on the immunization from two sites in Bhubaneswar and Sundargarh.
This apart, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also interacted with some beneficiaries at three places.
He took feedback from a nurse of Sundargarh District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), a sanitary worker of Capital Hospital and a doctor of Berhampur City Hospital, sources said.
In Bhubaneswar, the vaccination is being conducted at six session sites like Capital Hospital, Unit IV Hospital, BMC Hospital, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, KIIMS and SUM Hospital.