COIMBATORE: With the recent spike in Covid-19 cases in the district, the health department has tasked the revenue department officials to verify partially-vaccinated beneficiaries with the electoral roll for ensuring a 100 per cent inoculation rate in rural areas. Sources said the initiative is being taken by the district officials to gather vaccination data at the ground level.
Even as many village panchayats have achieved a 100 per cent first dose inoculation rate, sources said this survey would give a big picture on the district's rural vaccination. Explaining the process, the district's Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS) P Aruna said, the village administrative officers (VAO), block development officers (BDO), and panchayat presidents have been roped in to verify the beneficiaries.
Throwing more light on the survey, she added, "We have instructed the revenue staff to verify beneficiaries using electoral roll to ensure the presence of population aged above 18 years by visiting them. Some villages have achieved a 100 per cent vaccination rate, but there is a need for analysis."
She said the survey is currently underway at the village level. "The problems we will face while verifying the beneficiaries with the electoral roll is that some might have shifted their place, or might have passed away. Leaving alone these categories, the revenue staff will ensure that the other beneficiaries in the villages have received at least a single dose to certify the village as at least partially vaccinated," the DDHS said.
When questioned why the survey only documents single-dose beneficiaries, Aruna said the due date for people who got the first jab may have a few more days to get their second dose.
Further, the same analysis will be done in tribal hamlets.
Covid vaccination performance in Coimbatore (as of Monday):
*First Dose- 27,81,330
*Second Dose- 15,64,537
-Total beneficiaries- 43,45,867