Praising the preparations made in Varanasi for dealing with the possible third wave, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told the doctors here to increase vaccination as it was an effective means of fighting Covid-19.
Asking the doctors to dispel myths, he said they should create awareness, motivate people and take steps for doing away with vaccine hesitancy.
He also asked the doctors to document their experiences of dealing with the first and second waves for research in the near future.
After inaugurating several projects in the city, PM Modi inspected the new 100-bed mother and child health wing at Sir Sundar Lal Hospital, Institute of Medical Sciences-Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU) and watched a presentation on the preparations for dealing with the possible third wave of Covid-19. Varanasi district magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma gave the presentation.
Later, Modi held a meeting with 18 doctors at the hospital and interacted with four of them, including IMS-BHU director Prof BR Mittal, chief medical officer (Varanasi) Dr VB Singh, Indian Medical Association vice-president Ashok Rai, and IMS-BHU Trauma Centre in-charge Prof Saurabh Singh.
PM Modi thanked the medical fraternity for Covid-19 management during the second wave. He asked about the preparations for dealing with the third wave, including the availability of modern equipment, labs, oxygen, beds, medicines and research equipment.
{{/usCountry}}PM Modi thanked the medical fraternity for Covid-19 management during the second wave. He asked about the preparations for dealing with the third wave, including the availability of modern equipment, labs, oxygen, beds, medicines and research equipment.
{{/usCountry}}Experts informed the PM that a 100-bed Covid-19 ward for children has already been created by SSL Hospital, BHU and it has all the necessary equipment.
Later, the prime minister asked the doctors about vaccine hesitancy in the region.
According to a medical expert, who was part of 18-member team, a doctor told PM Modi that after the second wave, vaccine hesitancy decreased to some extent and a large number of people were turning up for vaccination at present.
IMA vice-president Dr Ashok Rai, a child specialist, appealed to PM to make available Covid-19 vaccine for children soon after it is approved.
Chief medical officer Dr VB Singh said that 23% population (over 10 lakh people) of the population had been vaccinated in Varanasi district from January 16 to July 14.
About 8.21 lakh people received the first dose and 1.96 lakh people got the second one, he said. A total of 10,928 vaccination sessions have been conducted in Varanasi so far.
When contacted, Prof Ashok Kumar, head of the department of paediatrics at IMS-BHU, said, “We are fully prepared to deal with the possible third wave. All preparations have already been made. For children, 100-bed Covid-19 ward equipped with all the facilities is ready.”