Finance
By: Shree1news, 31 MAR 2021
New Delhi:
As India prepares to open up its COVID-19 vaccination drive to people above 45 from April 1, the Centre today asked states and union territories to identify low vaccine-coverage pockets, particularly in districts reporting a surge in new infections, and take corrective action.
National Health Authority CEO and Empowered Group on COVID Vaccination chairperson Dr RS Sharma and Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high-level meeting with health secretaries, mission directors of NHM and immunisation officers of all states and union territories during the day, a statement stated.
The status and pace of the inoculation drive throughout the nation have been reviewed at the meeting held through video-conferencing, as have been the preparations for April 2021, when vaccination would be extended to cover everybody above the age of 45, the ministry stated.
“A key theme underlying the meet was the identification of low vaccine coverage pockets particularly in districts showing COVID-19 surge and for taking corrective actions there,” it stated in the statement.
On vaccination coverage of healthcare workers (HCWs) and frontline workers (FLWs), the states and the UTs have been advised to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries have been registered and inoculated under the respective categories.
They have been also advised to archive incorrect and duplicate entries on the Co-WIN platform, identify pockets of low vaccination coverage health facility, professional association, blocks, districts for taking corrective action, and ensure saturation of vaccination of these groups on priority.
States and UTs were asked to conduct regular opinions of capacity utilisation at private COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs).
They were also asked to undertake GIS analysis of CVCs to identify the need for more such facilities, and address apprehensions of private CVCs regarding vaccine supply and tips, the statement stated.
The states and UTs have been also suggested to make sure that there was no sedimentation of vaccine stocks at any level of storage, and that their distribution was based on consumption to avoid overstocking or under-stocking at cold chain points and CVCs.
They have been asked to conduct regular reviews of vaccine stocks and consumption to identify gap areas and address the same, the ministry stated in its statement.
The Centre also suggested the states and UTs to maintain vaccine wastage at less than one per cent (current National Wastage Percentage being six per cent).
They were asked to ensure timely utilisation of available inventory to avoid expiry of vaccines and update the vaccine consumption data on Co-WIN and eVIN portals.
Dr Sharma assured that there was no problem in storage and logistics of the vaccines. He re-emphasized that there was no value in conserving vaccines for the second dose and that states must promptly supply vaccines to all government and private hospitals where there’s a demand, the statement said.
A countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with healthcare workers (HCWs) getting inoculated first, and vaccination of frontline workers (FLWs) started from February 2.
The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced on March 1 to cover people above 60 and those in the age group of 45-59 however with specified co-morbid conditions.
Source:A-N
