Odisha Readies Road Map For Covid-19 Mass Vaccination Drive

Bhubaneswar: With the Central government expecting to roll out Covid-19 vaccine anytime soon, Odisha has come up with a slew of measures to ensure smooth implementation of the mass vaccination programme against Coronavirus.

The Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das on Wednesday said that Odisha will follow the Central government's guidelines to roll out Covid-19 vaccination programme in the State. A road map in this regard has been prepared for the smooth conduct of the vaccination drive.

In the first phase, as many as 3.20 lakh healthcare workers including 1.4 lakh ICDS functionaries have been enrolled for vaccination, informed Das.

Besides, 8,267 vaccinators and 29,276 centres have been identified to carry out the vaccination program in the State once a coronavirus vaccine is rolled out.

The other details regarding the vaccination process will be uploaded in the official website of State Health Department.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,222 cold chain points have been identified in the State for safe storage of the coronavirus vaccine after it reaches Odisha.

The government will set up one state vaccine store, nine regional vaccine stores, 32 district vaccine stores, including one each in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela and 1180 cold chain points in PPC/CHC/Block PHC/PHC/Sub-Centres, added the Minister.

The Odisha government has also formed State Steering Committee, State Task Force, District Task Force and Block Task Force for the vaccination programme. Besides, the training of personnel who will be deployed to administer the vaccine is also over, said Das.

(Edited By Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)