Gautam Budh Nagar health dept to ensure follow-up of families hesitant of vaccination

GREATER NOIDA: To ensure effective follow-up of vaccine-hesitant families and pregnant women in the district, Gautam Budh Nagar health department directed all health workers to maintain detailed beneficiary records and ensure timely delivery of vaccination and maternal health services, officials said on Thursday

GREATER NOIDA: To ensure effective follow-up of vaccine-hesitant families and pregnant women in the district, Gautam Budh Nagar health department directed all health workers to maintain detailed beneficiary records and ensure timely delivery of vaccination and maternal health services, officials said on Thursday.

The directions were issued by the health department during a review of National Health Mission programmes on Wednesday. (HT Archive)

The directions were issued by the health department during a review of National Health Mission programmes on Wednesday.

Under the Vaccine Avoidance Behaviour (VAB) programme — rolled out in Uttar Pradesh in 2020 to address vaccine-avoidance behaviour — all health sub-centres and areas covered by auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) will prepare line lists of vaccine-hesitant families, which will also be maintained at the block level.

“Where there are more than three vaccine-hesitant families, regular movement of the block response team should be ensured and, as required, support of officials from other departments should be taken,” chief development officer Bhal Chandra Tripathi said.

Medical officers in charge have also been asked to review VAB progress every week during block-level weekly review/ANM meetings and ensure pending cases are resolved within the stipulated time to achieve 100 per cent progress.

“The ASHA worker should assist the pregnant woman in opening a bank account during ANC registration itself,” Tripathi said, adding that the account details should subsequently be verified during scheduled ANC examinations and health sessions.

The district’s health department is also focusing on patients with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, with officials directed to regularly monitor those undergoing treatment and ensure treatment is provided on schedule.

The health department has further been asked to strengthen services at health and wellness centres and Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, complete required e-Kavach entries on time and use e-Sanjeevani to provide telemedicine services to more eligible patients.

For HPV vaccination, the target is 100 per cent coverage among eligible girls. Officials have been asked to complete scheduled U-WIN sessions, update vaccination details on the portal and finish head-count surveys within the prescribed timeframe.

The health department has also stressed adequate availability and regular distribution monitoring of essential medicines, besides timely ambulance services and regular monitoring of ambulance availability and operations.