PANAJI
Goa is all set to participate in the nationwide launch of the first phase of Covid-19 vaccination drive on Saturday. The vaccination drive will commence at seven notified locations across the State where 700 health workers are expected to be vaccinated on the first day.
PM Modi is scheduled to flag off the first phase of the initiative at 10.30 am via video conferencing.
The locations in Goa include five government hospitals namely the Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim, North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa, Hospicio Hospital in Margao, Sub District Hospital in Ponda and Sub District Hospital in Chicalim and two private hospitals which include Manipal Hospital in Dona Paula and Health way Hospital in Old Goa. These are among the 3,006 session sites identified by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for the first phase of the vaccination drive.
At each of the seven locations in Goa, 100 beneficiaries are scheduled to be administered a dose of the vaccine on Saturday.
Goa has received 23,500 doses of the vaccine ‘Covishield’. As per the announcement by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, 18,000-odd frontline health workers will be vaccinated first followed by senior citizens.
Dean of GMCH Dr S M Bandekar disclosed that cleaning staff who work at GMC’s Covid-19 ward, including employees of Ecoclean Systems and Solutions and members of GMC’s multi-tasking staff will be the first to get vaccinated. Dr Bandekar said that GMC is hoping to vaccinate the 5,000 frontline health workers attached to it during this phase.
Commenting on GMC’s preparedness, Health Minister stated, “I am highly impressed with the preparations at the Covid vaccination centre at GMC to kick start the vaccination drive.”
He informed that each recipient will be checked for symptoms at the entrance by the vaccinator No. 1 and then allowed to enter the waiting area. The process will begin by registering each beneficiary on the CoWin portal. These persons will then be sent to the vaccination station for their first shot.
He said that a separate AEFI Management Room to deal with any adverse effect following the immunization has been set up. The exercise will be undertaken at the special “Covid Vaccination Centre’ set up at GMC’s examination hall cum auditorium.
