M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Dec.16: Much is at stake on the front of the covid vaccination in Jharkhand. It lags in administering the first dose to its adult population. It is slow in the second dose if one compares with the national average.
Now, a sprint for vaccination in Jharkhand is starting from today. It will be a water testing time of all the 24 civil surgeons of all districts across Jharkhand.
“The state health department has drawn colour, code, certificate etc for the performance but not a word as to what if any civil surgeon just does not live up to the tasks,” quipped a doctor seeking anonymity.
Sources said that there are many civil surgeons who have replaced those who had handled the first wave of the Coronavirus in 2020 modestly but heroically and have even handled the start of vaccination on/from January 17, 2021 (the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the vaccination countrywide) with care and caution. But for political pull and push, they are now rested and sidelined and new civil surgeons have entered in the scenario who do not know what was handled or left in the 2020 rage of the Coronavirus.
The state health department has come out with a minute-to-minute plan to achieve 100% vaccination of the first dose by January 15, 2022. And it is being said that the plan is giving the civil surgeons a tough tight rope walk as Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Arun Kumar Singh and his team is working on it.
Sources in the Chief Minister Office said the CM is most desirous to tell the state on Republic Day that the state is 100 percent vaccinated, the first dose.
WHO surveillance medical officer Mirtunjay Singh when contacted today by lagatar24.com said the state health department can achieve what it has set for itself, a 100%vaccination. He has appreciated that vaccination teams will now be armed with the voters’ list.
However, he also reminded that assistance from Anganwadi workers, government school teachers, public distribution shops dealers, JSLPS activists, NGOs etc must extend dedicated hands to this winter drive of the vaccination and then one can be sure of reaching 100 percent goal.
He further said that the recent planning and strategy drawn by the state health department for the vaccination coverage of all the eligibles is no cry for the moon but a very realistic and methodical approach.
“Many countries did it to reach a high percentage of the vaccinations and if Jharkhand is ready to embark upon it, let us all join it to make it a success,” the WHO official added.
However, he also said that there is an urgent need to update the due and overdue dates on which the first dose takers have not turned up for their second jab. Those who continue to miss the second dose be given repeated calls for their second vaccines, he suggested.
When asked how people of a hamlet or panchayat will be completely vaccinated, the official said that the Anganbadi Sahiyas, Asha workers, Jal Sahiyas etc know each and every face of their locality and they can bring the unvaccinated for the vaccination quite easily.
The thrust this time is that the vaccination teams will reach the eligibles for providing vaccines instead of asking them to come to the centres, said sources.
