M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, June 9: Palamu health administration is all set to save its Covishield doses from getting expired in July.
In Palamu, more than 11,700 doses of the Covishield vaccines face expiry in July. Sources reminded that this district also witnessed Remdesivir injections going expired.
Official sources said Palamu was given 3,440 vials of Remdesivir injection. Only 953 vials were used at the peak of the Covid pandemic in 2021.
The remaining 2,487 Remdesivir injections continue to expire at regular intervals and by this October 2022, if there comes no such Covid expediency, the entire remaining 2,487 will be a waste.
However, with vaccine doses having near expiry date, the Palamu health administration is in alert mode.
Palamu civil surgeon Dr Anil Kumar said he and his team are determined to avert this situation. He said the medical officers in charge of the community health centres have been told in writing that they will be personally held responsible for the expiry of the Covid vaccines.
Palamu district epidemiologist Dr Anup Kumar Singh said, “We are hopeful that all Covishield doses having near expiry will be consumed much before the deadline.”
The Palamu CS said he has a work plan ready to stem the expiry. He said he wants cops and sub-divisional magistrates (SDOs) to help in the second phase of the Covid Teeka Maha Abhiyan.
His work plan involves the same grass-root level vaccination with help from Sahiyas, chowkidars, mukhiyas, panchayat samitis, PDS dealers, school teachers and block level functionaries etc to locate and identify such people who continue to dodge their vaccination.
He said such people who have not yet taken any dose of vaccine or taken two doses of vaccines but avoiding precaution dose should not be called ‘left out’ as they continue to duck their vaccination despite our many accesses to them.
“On June 8, our team conducted a total of 2,454 Covid vaccinations in all age groups beginning with 12+,” the CS said. He admitted that only 330 Covid vaccinations were administered on May 28.
Sources said the pep up letter of the Additional Chief Secretary of Health Arun Kumar Singh asking health officials and personnel to put in their best for the Covid vaccination acts as a motivational force.
The coming two weeks of June will be a decisive factor in the consumption of the doses of the Covid vaccines having a near expiry date.
