With the Covid-19 vaccines reaching Bengaluru, the district administration and the Department of Health and Family Welfare have made all arrangements to store the vaccines once the district receives them and also on its distribution.
The vaccines are likely to reach Kodagu within two days. Though the government is yet to communicate on transporting vaccines to the district headquarters, the health officials are expecting them to arrive in Madikeri by Friday evening.
The Covid-19 vaccination drive will be launched across the country on January 16. It will be launched at five centres including Kakotu Parambu, Madikeri and Kushalnagar. The Covid-19 vaccines will be administered to registered Covid warriors at the centre, said DHO Dr Mohan to DH.
Though the vaccination drive will be launched on January 16, it will be distributed across the district from January 18. A total of 40 centres have been identified for vaccination. Barring the PHC at Soorlabbi, arrangements have been made to administer vaccination at 28 PHCs, one UHC, seven CHCs, taluk hospitals at Somwarpet and Virajpet and Madikeri Medical College Hospital, said the DHO.
The vaccines will be stored at two places in the district. From the storage centre, they will be supplied to various centres, he said.
In the first phase, vaccines will be administered to Covid warriors. A total of 6,344 health workers have been covered from DHO to D group employees, private hospital doctors, nurses, medical and dental college personnel, Asha workers and anganwadi workers, he added.
The beneficiaries will get a message on their mobilephone about the date and time of the vaccination, said the DHO.
Deputy Commissioner Annies Kanmani Joy said that training has been imparted to the staff on the distribution of the vaccines.
Arrangements have been made for the storage as well. The dry run of Covid-19 vaccination was held successfully in the district, she added.
Staff from the health sector
There are 4,899 personnel in 41 government health care units coming under the Department of Health and Family Welfare and medical education in the district, said the officials.
In addition, there are 1,445 persons working in 172 private health care units. A total of 261 vaccinators have been identified in the district, they added.
After personnel from the health care sector, all those who are above 50 years will get the vaccination. The vaccines will be distributed in the district as per the guidelines of the Central government, said the officials.