Centre not 'satisfied' with state's jab rate
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 04 2021: Seven states in the northeast region and four hill states of the country have been directed by the Centre to quickly saturate vaccination for 18-plus age group (1st dose) as well as focus on the 60-plus age group and administer second dose to those eligible.

Union Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan chaired a high level review meeting on Saturday with 11 states and UTs namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand.

The Health secretary in the meeting underlined that these states must focus on 60 plus age group as the coverage of both the doses in this category is unsatisfactory in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya.

The vulnerability of this age group to COVID-19 makes this exercise of prime importance, he said.

The attention of the states was brought to the fact that the administration of the first dose has progressively outpaced the administration of second dose.

It was suggested that states earmark doses, earmark days and target the completion of the exercise for these beneficiaries.

The details of state/UT-wise balance stock of 0.5 ml Syringes, Vaccination Coverage among Special Groups (Transgender Persons, Persons with Disabilities, PWI and Prisoners), COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage among women particularly pregnant and lactating women were also discussed in the meeting.

The secretary also advised the states and UTs to closely monitor the stock from State Vaccine Stores to Cold Chain Point, check rational distribution and restrict vaccine wastage to below 2%, update data on eVIN on a daily basis, check supply of other denomination syringes as per availability (0.5 ml/lml/2 ml/3ml Auto Disable/Re-use Prevention Syringes (RUP)/Disposable) for COVID vaccination.

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