Micro planning helped state take lead in vaccination drive: Officials

Health secretary says teams formed at block and panchayat samiti levels pushed inoculation campaign

JAIPUR: Micro planning at the panchayat samiti and block levels made Rajasthan the leading state in terms of vaccinations across the country, officials familiar with the matter said.

The desert state is leading in the first three days of the second phase of India’s Covid-19 vaccination drive, having given doses to 5,187 per million residents.

According to the Union ministry of health and family welfare, the top five states in terms of vaccination till March 6 morning are Rajasthan (18,91,118) followed by Uttar Pradesh (17,01,661), Gujarat (16,05,119), Maharashtra (15,97,458) and West Bengal(14,87,060).

State health officials attributed the success to their threestep strategy -- identification of old-age citizens at every tehsil level, formation of teams comprising block chief medical health officers (CMHOS), teachers and government employees, and then creating awareness on the importance of vaccine at ground zero.

“We had started preparing for the vaccination drive many months ago. First, we collected data of 16.3 million eligible citizens from the electoral rolls.

Then at the block level, we roped in sub-divisional magistrates, CMHOS, block development officers (BDOS), child development project officers (CDPOS), officers of social justice department, circle officers and officials of other departments, who started planning for the vaccinations,” said Siddharth Mahajan, health department secretary.

“Teams at block levels created awareness and capitalised the enthusiasm among people. They developed vaccine centres which had four teams comprising vaccinators and verifiers. Similar planning was applied at the panchayat samitis where sarpanchs, teachers, and health staff of community health care centres and primary health care centres were involved. The overall monitoring was done by collectors and chief medical health officers of districts.”

Mahajan said that in urban areas, private hospitals and government medical hospitals were motivated.

“We asked them to use their database to encourage their patients to go for vaccination. Along with this, government was constantly promoting people for the vaccination through different mediums,” the health secretary said.

Mahajan said that considering the speed of vaccinations, 2.9 million doses will get over by Wednesday.

“Government of India has already provided us a batch of extra 57,000 vaccines and will provide us more soon.”

The top five districts in terms of vaccination in the first phase are Sirohi (96.89%), Karauli (96.47%), Dausa (96.30%), Rajsamand (96.12%) and Dungarpur (95.12%).

In the second phase, the top five districts are Churu (107%), Sirohi (99.98%), Barmer (98.90%), Bikaner (98.98%) and Nagaur (98.10%).

While addressing the media after vaccination on Friday, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said Rajasthan alone accounts for 25% of the vaccination done so far in the country.

Appealing to the people, he said, “In Rajasthan we should not lose the battle won by us against corona, so do not be negligent at all. As soon as symptoms appear, go to the hospital and seek treatment. The hospitals provide free treatment for Covid-19.”

The second phase of vaccination covers people above 60 years and those who are 45 years or more and suffering from co-morbidities.