Officials to encourage health workers to get jabs

KARNAL: Concerned over the poor response for Covid-19 vaccine, directions have been issued to district authorities to encourage healthcare workers (HCWs) in state for Covid vaccination.

The National Health Mission (NHM) director has written to all civil surgeons, medical officers and directors of all government medical colleges in Haryana that only 23% of the enlisted target (of around 2 lakh healthcare workers) have been vaccinated by January 22, five days after the vaccination drive was launched in state.

Directors of all medical colleges and government hospitals have been asked to cooperate for maximum vaccination of over 30,000 beneficiaries.

As per the letter, to achieve the target, each district needs to address the relevant stakeholders including medical colleges, ICDS, and IMA through the deputy commissioners to address any apprehensions.

Further the PMOs and medical superintendents of all civil hospitals are to motivate all staff to come forward for vaccination.

“Total 1,220 people (81% of targeted 1,500 ) were vaccinated in district by evening. It is difficult to achieve the set target in a single day,” said Panipat CMO Sant Lal Verma.

In Kurukshetra, 719 healthcare workers were vaccinated against the set target of 1,500. “We have vaccinated over 700 people in a single day. Total people vaccinated in district has reached over 2,000,” said Dr Anupama Bharal, nodal officer for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Karnal CMO Dr Yogesh Sharma claimed that the drive has got a good response as 1,570 people were vaccinated in the district on a single day and around 5,400 people have been vaccinated so far.