MARGAO
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s assurance that seafarers would get the second dose of anti-Covid vaccine from Wednesday went abegging, leaving many an anxious seafarers to return home disappointed.
Based on the government’s assurance that the second dose of vaccination for seafarers would commence from Wednesday, many seafarers had to return home disappointed from health centres.
Health officials told them that the process had not started yet and that they could take the second dose after the government announces the schedule.
In fact, the seafarers, students and those heading abroad for employment may have to wait for some more time before the notification for administration of second dose for special category is introduced in the portal and the state government designates a competent authority to permit beneficiaries from taking the second doze before 84 days of the first jab.
After a group of seafarers, who had approached the health centres for the second dose before 84 days, realized that the health officials had received no communique from the head office, State Immunization Officer Rajendra Borkar told ‘The Goan’ that it would take a day or two for the process to kick start following the Centre’s decision.
He said, according to the notification, the state government will have to notify a competent authority to check the documents, making beneficiaries eligible for the second dose before 84 days of the first administration of the first vaccine shot. That’s not all. Dr Borkar pointed out that the benefits of the notification will flow only after the feature is introduced in the portal for the beneficiaries to register themselves before the vaccination.
To a question, he said the government will have to notify the competent authority which will be empowered to verify the documents, making the seafarers and others eligible for the second dose before the 84-day period.
Sources pointed out that the government may notify the deputy collectors in each division to facilitate the beneficiaries to get their documents checked before granting the nod for the second dose.
GSAI: APPOINT COMPETENT
AUTHORITY AT THE EARLIEST
MARGAO: The Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) has said that around 500 Goan seafarers are anxiously waiting to avail the second dose benefit and urged the government to appoint the competent authority at the earliest.
GSAI president Frank Viegas claimed that many seafarers who had visited the health centres returning home disappointed after being told that the process for the second dose has not started till date.
