BHUBANESWAR: After Intensified Mission Indradhanush 4.0 (IMI) achieving 100 per cent (pc) target, the Odisha government has turned its focus on completing Covid vaccination of teenagers and accelerating precaution doses.
As per the vaccination statistics, only 51.3 pc of the 12-14 age group have received double dose though 74 pc of the 15-18 years group have been completely vaccinated. The inoculation coverage of teenagers in eight districts - Boudh, Deogarh, Gajapati, Jharsuguda, Kandhamal, Nuapada, Malkangiri and Rayagada - has been low as compared to other districts.
Similarly, the precaution dose coverage among persons above 60 years has been below optimum across the State. It has been abysmally low in 13 districts, including the eight where the vaccines find few takers among the adolescents.
Director of Family Welfare Dr Bijay Panigrahi said a special campaign is being conducted to vaccinate and saturate the eligible population groups for second and precaution doses through door-to-door campaigns, with focus on old age homes, schools/colleges including out-of-school children (12-18 years), prisons and brick kilns. Expressing concern over the considerably slow pace of Covid-19 vaccination, the Ministry of Health on Friday urged states including Odisha, to expedite the process towards full coverage by saturating all eligible beneficiaries.
During a review, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised to chart a two-month-long ‘Har GharDastak’ 2.0 campaign during June-July, with detailed district, block and village-level planning. He has also asked the states to utilise the stock of near-expiry doses so that there is no wastage.
Health officials have also been asked to ensure ‘First Expiry First Out’ principle, where doses that expire earlier should be used for vaccination first. The State achieved 100 pc of the target during the IMI 4.0. Cuttack, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Koraput, Khurda, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Sundargarh were selected for the campaign.