Nagpur: Thirteen villages in Nagpur district have set a record of sorts in Covid-19 vaccination programme.
At a time when 48% of the total 45-plus population in the district is yet to take the jab, all from this age group in the 13 villages have reportedly taken their first dose.
Chief executive office of zilla parishad Yogesh Kumbhejkar told TOI, “The feat could be achieved due to Vaccination In Your Village concept, which was launched with the help of gram panchayats, public representatives, anganwadi sevikas, public health centres (PHCs) etc.
Special squads have been formed at every village to encourage all 45-plus to take the vaccine.” “These squads are also clearing doubts and misconceptions in the minds of the people about the vaccine,” he said.
These 13 villages are from six tehsils.
Highest number of villages, five, is from Katol tehsil — Gondikhapa, Khapa, Ghubdi, Kavdimeth and Mohgaon (Dhole).
Two villages each are from Hingna tehsil (Deoli Peth) and Takalghat), Tarni and Paoni in Kuhi tehsil and Parsodi Dixit and Ranwadi from Narkhed tehsil.
One village each is from Kalmeshwar tehsil (Dehegaon) and Saoli (Mohatkar) in Saoner.
Around 1,700 villages are in 13 tehsils in the district.
As per state government’s estimation, the district’s population is 52,72,665 .
The government had estimated around 30% (15,81,800) of the total population in above 45 years age group.
As per data of the state’s public health department, 8,22,775 (52%) people from this age group have taken the first dose as on June 10, leaving 7,59,025 (48%) yet to be vaccinated Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and ZP are running 221 vaccination centres across the district.
Each centre can easily inoculate 300 in a day.
Thus, total capacity of the centres in the district is 66,300 jabs a day.
But the number of beneficiaries has declined to below 5,000 a in the district for the last few days.
The numbers are, however, not increasing to the desired level despite the NMC continuing with the Vaccination In Your Locality and ZP’s Vaccination In Your Village for the third consecutive week.
Meanwhile, NMC has continued vaccination of students who got admission in foreign universities.
Twenty such students were inoculated on Friday and 96 on Thursday.
The civic body had reserved two centres — Indira Gandhi Rugnalaya (IGR) and Pachpaoli Women’s Hospital — for these students for two days in a week — Thursday and Friday.
The number of students vaccinated last week was 154 on Friday and 112 on Thursday.
Thus, total number of beneficiaries has now gone up to 382.
NMC additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi said, “We have invited detailed information from those working in foreign countries, but staying here due to Covid situation.
We will also begin their vaccination if they are about to return to foreign countries for job purposes.” The state government had halted vaccination of 18-44 group at government centres from May 12.
Students going abroad and those working in foreign countries are mostly from 18-44 group.
Prior vaccination has been made mandatory by several countries before allowing such people to enter.