COVID Vaccine Drive: Delhi Govt Collates Healthcare Workers’ Data

PM Modi on Friday, 4 December, said that experts believe that the COVID vaccine will be ready in the next few weeks

COVID-19 vaccine. Representational photo.

(Photo: IANS)

The Arvind Kejriwal-led government has started collecting data of healthcare workers in Delhi, so as to prepare detailed electronic records of those whole will received the COVID-19 vaccine in the first phase, reported Hindustan Times.

THE DATABASE

Delhi government’s directorate of health and family welfare is creating this database, reported Hindustan Times.

According to the daily, there will be 13 categories of healthcare workers on the database. These include MBBS doctors, AYUSH practitioners, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists and ANMs (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife) who are part of the frontline workforce.

Here’s what a senior official of the Delhi government told Hindustan Times, on the condition of anonymity:

“We are working on collecting information of health care workers across the city, working in private as well as government hospitals, dispensaries, path labs and clinics. Once the database is ready, we will know exactly who will receive the vaccine once it becomes available. This will also ensure that there is no pilferage of the vaccines.”   

LOGISTICS

According to the daily, the central government has already said that the logistical requirements for a vaccination drive, such as cold storage networks, vials, syringes etc, are already available under the Universal Immunisation Programme.

The Delhi government, further, is looking at creating a new vaccine storage facility.

Another Delhi government official, on the condition of anonymity told the newspaper:

“We have our existing system in place in each district which is used for the immunisation programme. We have deep freezers and other machines needed to safely store the vaccine. We might just need one more site where large quantities of the vaccines can be stored. The process to identify the site is going on.”   

HT reported that a vaccine storage facility, better than the pre-existing one in Civil Lines, will be created at the government’s Rajiv Gandhi Super-speciality hospital in Tahirpur.

MORE DETAILS

According to Centre’s draft prioritisation plan prepared by the National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19, 30 million frontline workers will receive initial doses of whichever vaccine first gets a nod, reported HT.

The first phase will tentatively span between January and June 2021.

VACCINE TO BE READY IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: PM MODI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, 4 December, addressed the virtual all-party meeting of floor leaders in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha to discuss the COVID-19 situation and said that experts believe that the COVID-19 vaccine will be ready in the next few weeks and that healthcare, frontline workers and elderly persons suffering from serious diseases will be given priority in vaccination.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times.)