Indian Medical Association Urges PM Modi To Start Vaccination For All Above 18 Years, Suggests Limited Lockdown

New Delhi: With India facing the worst wave of pandemic yet, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday (April 6) wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi suggesting vaccination should be open to all people above the age of 18 years. “At present, we are vaccinating the population above 45 years. In view of the rapid spread of the second wave of the disease, we suggest that our vaccination strategy needs to be geared up with immediate effect on war foot. We request the following suggestions in the Covid Vaccination Drive. All citizens above 18 years of age shall be permitted to receive Covid vaccination,” IMA said.

Also Read: On-Site COVID Vaccine Registrations For Health And Frontline Workers Only At Government Sites: Centre

The association also urged the Prime Minister that private sector family clinics should also be included actively in the vaccination drive along with private hospitals, as availability of vaccination with all doctors and family physicians will have a positive impact on the drive.

According to IMA, the vaccination certificate should be made mandatory for entering into public places and receiving products under the public distribution system. IMA said as there is an acute spurt of this disease, as a measure to immediately break the chain, a limited period of continuous lockdown should also be implemented especially for all the non-essential areas like cinema, cultural and religious events, sports, among other.

Zero tolerance against the non-compliance of Covid appropriate behaviours, augmentation of infrastructure beds and oxygen availability, moral support and enthusiastic engagements of frontline health workers, ensuring adequate health care protective gears support and strict adherence to the evidence-based treatment protocols are the key factors needed at this moment, IMA’s letter added.

Also Read: Dynamic Strategy Prioritising COVID-19 Vaccines For Seniors, Essential Workers Offers Greatest Public Health Benefit: Study

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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.