The dry run for Covid-19 vaccination was conducted across the state on Saturday to ascertain readiness and plug the loopholes in logistics. In Ganjam, where 25,000 frontline workers are scheduled to be vaccinated in the first phase, the drill was conducted at Berhampur’s City hospital. Three rooms in the hospital’s new building have been readied for the process. Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange visited the hospital on the day to assess the arrangements.
In Sundargarh, where 16,000 health care personnel, from both government and private sectors are set to be vaccinated, plans are afoot to set up five more cold chains in addition to the existing 47 for storing the vaccines. CDMO, Dr Saroj Kumar Mishra said the regional vaccine store in Sundargarh town has capacity to accommodate one lakh doses and can also cater to the needs of neighbouring Jharsuguda district. Once the vaccine is rolled out, he said, it will be administered at district headquarters hospital, Rourkela Government Hospital, Rajgangpur Area Hospital, Bonai Sub-Divisional Hospital and Birmitrapur CHC.
In Malkangiri, the dry run was conducted at the district headquarters hospital. As of now 24 cold chain points have been prepared and kept in readiness across the district for storing the vaccines. In the first phase, 5,258 healthcare professionals will be vaccinated. Similarly, Koraput district saw the dry run conducted at Community Health Centre in Koraput town in presence of senior health and administrative officials. Five trained vaccinators were demonstrated the process which continued for two hours.
As many as 12,074 frontline workers of the district will be vaccinated in the first phase and administered the dose at 1,624 centres.In Puri, the exercise run was conducted at the district headquarters hospital by a 25-member team of health professionals under supervision of CDMO, Dr Sujata Mishra. In the first phase, 10,779 Covid warriors would be administered the vaccine through 68 centres in the district. As many as 268 vaccinators have been trained and everyday only 100 persons would be administered the vaccine.
With inputs from Berhampur, Rourkela, Malkangiri, Koraput and Puri