Finance
By: Shree1news, 11 MAR 2021
BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to finish the vaccination of senior citizens as early as possible, Odisha government on Wednesday set a goal to inoculate at least one lakh individuals per day. At a video conference, collectors, municipal commissioners and CDMOs have been directed to make vital arrangements and improve the pace of vaccination.
As the State usually experiences intense heatwave conditions in May and June, the State authorities intend to finish the vaccination of people aged over 60 years in next one and a half months.The State has an estimated 46.32 lakh senior citizens of which 2.51 lakh have already been administered the first dose of vaccine. While Ganjam has the highest 3.89 lakh senior citizens, Deogarh has the lowest 34,490 beneficiaries.
Apart from Ganjam, five other districts which have greater than two lakh senior citizens included Balasore (2.56 lakh), Cuttack (2.89 lakh), Jajpur (2.01 lakh), Mayurbhanj (2.78 lakh) and Sundargarh (2.31 lakh). Seventeen districts have more than one lakh beneficiaries.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra stated steps are being taken to complete the vaccination drive of the senior citizens by end of May. “Senior citizens may find it difficult to come to the centres for inoculation throughout intense summer days. We want to get them vaccinated before the condition turns worse. The first dose is expected to be over by April-end,” he stated.
With a view to obtain the goal, the Well being division has sought the cooperation of personal hospitals with vaccination amenities. The CDMOs have been empowered to permit the hospitals with requisite amenities to function as vaccination centres.
Apart from the CHCs and PHCs in the district level, vaccination centres will also be set up at sub-centres located within the close proximity of PHCs and CHCs in order that the adverse event following immunisation cases can be handled. Anganwadi and ASHAs will mobilise the senior citizens to the nearby vaccination centres and assist them get enrolled and vaccinated, Mohapatra stated.
On Wednesday, as many as 45,011 persons, including 25,763 senior citizens, 1,309 comorbid persons aged 45 plus, 4,493 healthcare workers and 13,446 frontline workers got the jab at 411 centres within the State.
Senior citizens population
3.89 lakh in Ganjam
2.89 lakh in Cuttack
2.78 lakh in Mayurbhanj
2.56 lakh in Balasore
2.31 lakh in Sundargarh
2.01 lakh in Jajpur
Source:A-N
