Bhubaneswar: As the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Wednesday announced inoculation for the elderly population and persons with co-morbidities from March, the State Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) Department issued operational strategy for the next priority group in the State.
ACS Health & Family Welfare, Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra In a ‘most urgent’ circular dispatched to all the Collectors, Municipal Commissioners of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur and Rourkela, has mentioned that in view of anticipated high number of beneficiaries to be vaccinated, all the public health facilities from tertiary level to Medical College & Hospital, District Head Quarters Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, CHCs, PHCs, Health & Wellness Centres and Sub-Centres etc should be prepared for offering COVID-19 vaccination services.
Mr.Mohapatra said the Union Government has communicated that the vaccination of next priority group of elderly population and persons with co-morbidities will be taken up in March 2021.
ACS Health has also advised the authorities to take certain steps for planning.
He directed that session shall be planned for five days in a week (excluding Sunday), alternate vaccinators & verifiers identified and trained for COVID-19 vaccination, formation of six to seven mobile vaccination teams in each Block/urban unit for conducting sessions at the SC level in a planned manner, identifying health institutions such as PHC/UPHC up to Medical College & Hospital as session sites, not to engage ANMs from regular health system for vaccination as they will provide uninterrupted routine health services, Block-wise micro plan for session plan, vaccine & logistic supply, mobility support for vaccination team and provision of laptop/desktop at the session sites for updating vaccination status & issue of vaccination certificate.
“It must be ensured that all such facilities shall be mapped to specific Cold Chain Points to maintain effective supply of vaccines & logistics for vaccination. All preparatory activities shall be completed by 28th February 2021,” directed ACS Health & FW.