THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kuttiyamma, a 76-year-old resident of Muthukattukara, had come around 8.30 in the morning to get the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the public health centre at Palamel in Alappuzha. She persuaded her neighbour and friend Bhavani to take the vaccine. They managed to get their registration done online with the help of family members.
Still, they decided to go early because the PHC would provide vaccination only to those with tokens. The PHC had limited the vaccination till 12.30 pm as it was short of two doctors. All those gathered there managed to get the tokens.
But the PHC staff informed them that there would be a delay because the centre is yet to get listed among the vaccination centres. As the wait continued beyond an hour, the crowd started getting restless and entered into arguments with the staff. Though the issue was resolved, some of those who received tokens had returned home by then.
The PHC which is operated by limited number of staff also complained about the arrangement. "We are helpless in this situation as the vaccination programme is controlled by the portal. Though the PHC was listed as a vaccination centre for six continuous days, the name did not appear all of a sudden. It is difficult to explain the situation to elderly who have already registered online," said a staff member of the PHC.
The elderly who are dependent on primary health centres and family health centres in the locality continue to face difficulties in getting vaccinated due to lack of manpower and software glitches, even after the health department started the second phase of vaccination from March 1. Though the health department has started streamlining the vaccination programme to suit the capacity of each districts, it is yet to become effective.
"It is not practical that one centre should cater to the requirements of all in the locality. The PHCs have limitations with space and manpower. The staff have to manage the vaccination along with other routine OP and Covid response activities," said Dr T N Suresh, general secretary of Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA). The association demanded that the National Health Mission allow only spot registrations in PHCs and leave the online reservations to larger centres.
The family health centres get around 200-500 outpatients in a day. The medical officer has to oversee the Covid-19 swab taking, shifting of serious patients, follow up on people in quarantine besides carrying out the administration of the health institution.