Not 20 days, first phase will be completed in two months: State
MUMBAI: To ensure other immunisation programmes do not take a backseat, the state health department, following Centre’s instructions, will conduct the Covid-19 inoculation drive four days a week. Contrary to the initial plan that entailed vaccinating 50,000 beneficiaries daily, the health department has been instructed to inoculate 28,500 healthcare workers (HCWS). As a result, the first phase of vaccination that would have concluded within 20 days, will now take almost two months. Around 800,000 HCWS have been registered for phase-1 in the state. Initially, 511 centres had been allotted for the process, which has now been reduced to 285. “For us, this is a routine immunisation process. Along with Covid-19, we also have to administer other vaccinations such as BCG, measles, polio, among others. The Centre has therefore, instructed us to focus on Covid-19 vaccination for four days, so that other immunisation programmes don’t get compromised,” said state immunisation officer Dr Dilip Patil.
However, a senior health officer said the state undertakes routine immunisation programmes at health posts and primary health centres (PHCS), while the Covid-19 inoculation is largely at tertiary care centres in district and rural hospitals. “As we’re only vaccinating HCWS now, we can do it only at district hospitals. But once we widen the programme to include the general public, PHCS will have to be added as vaccination centres,” said the officer, requesting anonymity, as he is not authorised to speak to media. “Until then, the health department can continue with routine immunisation drives at PHCS and conduct Covid-19 inoculation for six days a week. But the order has come from the Centre,” he added.
The health department will also give new dates to those who miss their dates in the first phase. “Before we start the second phase for frontline workers, we’ll clear the backlog of HCWS who missed the shot on their first date of vaccination. This will further extend the date of completion of the process,” said a health department officer.
Activists have raised concerns over the delay. “The procurers sought permission for emergency use to hasten the immunisation. The government should thus gauge the loopholes and make the system more efficient so they can fasten the drive and inoculate as many people as possible,” said health activist Dr Abhijit More.