NEW DELHI: Concerned over some states still lagging in ensuring vaccine coverage for healthcare workers despite being accorded top priority when India’s vaccination drive began on January 16, the Centre is working with states to plug the crucial gap in the fight against Covid-19.
A review of the vaccination drive in the wake of the new policy where states and private hospitals have been allowed to procure vaccines showed targets for healthcare workers hadn’t been met even as the Centre continues to provide shots for this category and the 45-plus age group.
The coverage is uneven with Rajasthan still to inoculate 13% of its healthcare workers, but that is much better than Punjab which has covered only 65%.
Chhattisgarh has inoculated 88% of its health workers, which is better than the national average of 81%.
Telangana, like Punjab, has covered only 64% of workers in this category.
Delhi with 73%, Maharashtra (77%) and Andhra Pradesh (83%) also have some way to go and the Centre plans to ask these states to organise a special drive to “mop up” the remaining health workers.
Some states have covered close to 100% of health workers.
With PM Narendra Modi expressing worries over vaccine wastage, the Centre is trying to ensure it doesn’t cross 1%.
Wastage in 2.5-6.15% range has been reported from some states.
The ability of states to utilise vaccines has been under the lens, with some failing to use even 50% of the shots.