PUDUCHERRY: As many as 274 health workers received the first jab of the Covishield vaccine in the Union territory out of a target of 800 on the first day, while two cases of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) were reported after the COVID-19 vaccination drive kicked off in eight centres in all the four regions of Puducherry as part of the nationwide vaccination rollout on Saturday.
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy launched the vaccination drive at Rajiv Gandhi Women and Children Hospital (RGWCH) where a health worker Munusamy received the first shot of Covishield vaccine. Dr Murali, Resident Medical Officer RGWCH and Deputy Director (Public Health), also received the Covidshield jab. Two AEFI cases were reported from Mahe region of the UT, out of 79 who received the jab.
In Puducherry region, out of the target of 500 in five centres, 150 health workers received the jab, including 101 in JIPMER, while in Karaikal, 15 received the jab out of a target of 100. In Mahe, 79 health workers got vaccinated out of 100, while in Yanam, 30 received the vaccine out of 100.
In Puducherry region, the vaccination commenced at Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (IGGGHPGI), JIPMER, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (IGMCRI), Community Health Centre (CHC), Karikalampakkam, besides RGWCH (IGGGHPGI-7, RGMCH-10, IGMCRI-17, CHC, Karikalapakkam-15 and JIPMER-101). In the outlying regions of the UT, vaccination commenced at the Government General Hospitals at Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam.
Around 24,000 health workers in the government and private sector in the UT would be covered in the first phase, said the Chief Minister. From Sunday, 100 health workers are scheduled to receive the vaccine in each of the eight centres. Messages will be sent to health workers who are listed for taking the shot on a particular day. On the basis of the message, they have to turn up for the vaccination. After the first shot, the health workers would receive the second shot of the same vaccine after 28 days.
A total of 145 centres for administering the vaccine in all the phases to all categories of people have been established. Out of these, 133 are in the government sector and the rest in the private sector, said the Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mohan Kumar.
Director JIPMER Dr Rakesh Aggarwal, Medical Superintendent Dr Ashok Badhe and Dean (Academic) Dr Pankaj Kundra launched the programme there. One hundred health workers, randomly identified from various cadres at the institute were vaccinated. The programme will continue to cover all the frontline healthcare workers of the institute.
Several health workers expressed happiness after receiving the jab and said that it will free them from the adverse affects of COVID-19. To fight against the virus, there is a need to be vaccinated, a health worker said.
CM writes to PM seeking vaccination of political leaders in first phase
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy has urged the Prime Minister to include all political leaders, Union ministers, Chief Ministers, state ministers and other such class of leaders for COVID vaccination in the first phase of the vaccination programme for confidence building among the people.
In a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, Narayanasamy cited that in countries like the US, UK, the vaccines are administered first to the political executives. Similarly, in order to instil confidence among the people, political leaders should be given the vaccine in the first phase itself in India also, said the Chief Minister.
Stating that Covishield vaccines are being administered in eight centres to healthcare workers in Puducherry as part of the all India vaccination programme, he urged the Prime Minister to issue suitable directions to the concerned authorities to include all political leaders, Union ministers, Chief Ministers, state ministers and other leaders by giving options to them to avail the COVID vaccine in the first phase of the programme.