Delhi Government To Take Measures To Raise Percentage Of Health Workers Turning Up For COVID Vaccine Drive

New Delhi: The Delhi government will take measures like counselling and formal phone calls in the coming days to raise the percentage of healthcare workers turning up for being administered COVID-19 vaccines, official said. Under the nationwide mega vaccination drive launched on Saturday (January 16), a total of 4,319 (53 per cent) health workers against a target of 8,117 were administered the vaccines at 81 centres across the city. “We will hold counselling sessions to create awareness so that apprehensions of the health workers could be allayed. They will also be called on phones to seek their confirmation and also to encourage them to come forward for taking the vaccines,” a senior Delhi government official said.

Also Read: Better To Take COVID-19 Vaccine Doses In A Gap Of 6-8 Weeks, Says Dr Suresh Jadhav Of Serum Institute of India

It is necessary to boost confidence of the health workers towards vaccination because its a voluntary exercise. Still, if some health workers do not come forward for it, they may be included in the next sessions on the coming days as per a roster, he said. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Sunday told reporters that some people did not turn up for COVID-19 vaccination at the last moment but the government cannot ask anyone to compulsorily take the jabs.

In the first phase of coronavirus vaccination drive, health workers and frontline workers have been kept in priority group by the Centre and are being administered free vaccines. Jain also said that the number of vaccination centres in Delhi will be increased from 81 to 175 soon.

Some people decided not to turn up at the last moment. The vaccination programme is completely voluntary. We cannot ask anyone to compulsorily take the shot even if the person has registered for it, he said.

However, officials said that the first phase has to be completed with frontline workers and then persons above 50 years of age and those having co-morbidites have to be vaccinated.

So, we have to aware the health workers to complete their vaccination in given time, they said.

Delhi has about 3 lakh healthcare workers, 6 lakh frontline workers, and about 42 lakh people who are aged above 50 years or have co-morbidities, that have to be administered the vaccine in the first phase, officials said.

Also Read: Health And Frontline Workers Take The First Jab Of COVID-19 Vaccine, Feel ‘Safe And Proud’

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.