Doctors, paramedics of Government schemes to join ‘Mission Vaccination’ from tomorrow

Mysore/Mysuru: To make up for the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff for ongoing Phase-4 vaccination drive for those above 45 years of age, the District Health Department is borrowing the services of doctors and paramedical staff from Departments of AYUSH, National Health Mission (NHM) and Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK).

“Doctors and paramedics numbering around 200 are being given special training this morning on vaccinating COVID-19 vaccine for beneficiaries above 45 years at all periphery hospitals in the district. They will be put on ‘Mission Vaccination’ from tomorrow,” Dr. L. Ravi, Reproductive and Child Health Officer (RCHO) and In-charge of COVID-19 Vaccination Officer in Government Hospitals, told SOM this morning.

He said, training programme is organised at Vaidya Bhavan in office of District Health Officer (DHO) for doctors and paramedical staff of those Departments where they are given basic training of handling both vaccines. 

Under RBSK, 40 doctors and 40 staff nurses are available. Similarly, under NHM, about 20 doctors are working and 70-80 doctors and paramedical staff are working in AYUSH Department. All put together, they will get a good number of doctors and paramedical staff whose services are going to be used in the ongoing vaccination for citizens above 45 years of age. After a half day training, they will be stationed in periphery Government facilities to vaccinate people from tomorrow.

War against pandemic

“It is a war-like situation and the District Government is doing everything possible to do the maximum vaccination coverage within the shortest period. Since there is shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rohini Sindhuri has taken a bold decision to borrow them from various schemes of the State and National Health Programmes. Having an additional 200 doctors and paramedical staff is always an advantage,” Dr. Ravi opined.

Convert Pvt. Hospitals as Sub-Health Centres

He said that the District Administration has taken a decision to declare Private Hospitals as Sub-Health Centres in city where a special centre will be created to vaccinate people free of cost. 

This is being done in the wake of lack of facilities at 500-plus Government Sub-Health Centres in the district. Talks were going on with the management of Private Hospitals and a decision may be taken in a day or two. The District Administration wants to set up its own ‘make-shift’ unit inside the private facility to vaccinate people free. The staff in these temporary units will be from the Government side. 

The Private Hospitals are free to vaccinate people by charging Rs. 250 per dose. This will help the Government to make use of the existing clinical facilities of the Private Hospitals during emergency, he noted.

30,000 in 3 days

Around 30,000 persons above 45 years have taken vaccination since Apr. 1. Response has been definitely encouraging in city than in rural areas. With Media highlighting COVID-19 second wave round-the-clock and the State Government issuing fresh guidelines to check the pandemic, more people are now coming to vaccination booths to get the first dose. Serpentine queue in front of three to four registration counters at Trauma Care Centre of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMC&RI) on KRS Road indicates people’s concern about their health. Now, people are coming in groups to get vaccinated and it is definitely a positive note, said Dr. Ravi.

The problem the District Administration is facing has been in rural areas where ASHA workers have to go to villages and literally beg people to get vaccinated. “Villagers are being invited as if for marriage function. There has been no voluntary participation of rural masses despite explaining them that both the vaccines are safe.”