15,700 healthcare workers vaccinated in 207 centres

Kolkata: Covid vaccination drive was launched across Bengal on Saturday. Around 15,700 health care workers were vaccinated in 207 centres, despite challenges posed by the non-functioning of the CoWIN application developed by the Centre.

The health officials faced difficulties in operating the CoWIN application as it developed technical glitches. The app was developed to track the inoculation process. "A quick response team (QRT) has been constituted at each vaccination centre which will solve if any administrative complications arise during the course of the vaccination. All the chief medical officers of health in the districts and DMs have been asked to keep an eye on the drive," said Dr Ajay Chakraborty, Director of Health Services.

All the health workers, who received Covishield shots, were given an emergency contact number. They can call the number if any complications develop after reaching home. Ambulance services will be given if someone requires hospitalisation.

A 35-year-old nursing staff of BC Roy Hospital fell ill after receiving the shots. She was admitted to NRS Medical College and her condition is stable. Another health worker from Rampurhat in Birbhum also complained about some complications after being vaccinated.

There are control rooms in every district besides a central control room operated from the Swasthya Bhawan. All the CMoHs in the districts have been directed to take care of the person, if he or she needs urgent medical attention, Dr Chakraborty added.

Dr Nirmal Maji, who is the minister of state for the Labour department, was the first to receive the shot at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH). "I am the first person to receive a vaccine in the state. It is good news for all of us that the inoculation drive has been initiated. We are thankful to the Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for ensuring a smooth vaccination drive in the state. Nearly 100 health workers were inoculated at different booths of the medical college," Dr Maji said. He is a Covid warrior, who was infected with the virus. Raja Chowdhury, a group D staff from the SSKM Hospital was the first to be vaccinated at the same hospital. Chowdhury was also infected with the virus.

The vaccination drive was conducted on the first day following the protocols. Those who received doses were kept at the centre for half an hour under observation. Lactating mothers, pregnant women and cancer patients will not be given vaccines, said a senior health official.

Five private hospitals were given clearance by the Health department to conduct vaccination drives. These are AMRI Dhakuria, RN Tagore, Apollo Gleanagles, Peerless Hospital and Tata Medical Centre. The Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, SSKM Hospital, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, NRS Medical College and Hospital, School of Tropical Medicine, National Medical College and Hospital were among the government hospitals in the city to conduct the drive, besides 5 KMC-run centres. "We have been fighting the Covid battle for the past 8 months. We have prepared data of 6.6 lakh health workers. All of them will be vaccinated in the first phase. As per protocols, 100 workers would receive a vaccine dose at each centre per day," Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam said.

Meanwhile, Bengal registered 609 fresh Covid cases in the past 24 hours taking the total number of infections to 5,64,707 on Saturday. About 15 people died of Covid in the past 24 hours taking the total death toll to 10,041.