Vaccination drive in Bihar eyes Navratri festival boost

Stepping up its fight against Covid-19, the Bihar government has decided to convert specially erected stages dedicated to Hindu deity Durga into vaccination centres to inoculate those who may have missed their vaccine doses for whatever reason.

Thousands of such stages, or pandals, are erected across the state during the nine-daylong Navratri festival and the government sees in them a golden opportunity to vaccinate the eligible population.

Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey said he had instructed all the district magistrates as well district civil surgeons to make arrangements for vaccination at the prominent pandals, which attract large crowds of people. The minister has also asked the civil surgeons to coordinate with the puja committees, tasked with conducting rituals, and select spots for vaccination there.

“We have instructed all the district magistrates as well as the civil surgeons to carry out vaccination works at important puja pandals with complete responsibility. We want that no village is left out of the vaccination,” Pandey told media.

The state had already arranged for more than 2.5 million vaccine doses for the purpose, he said.