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Bihar plans to use its vast network of schools to boost vaccination
PATNA The Bihar government has decided to use its huge network of schools to take vaccination to length and breath of the state
PATNA
The Bihar government has decided to use its huge network of schools to take vaccination to length and breath of the state.
In the first phase, all teachers of government and private schools and their families will be vaccinated in a mission mode at camps to be organised in the identified schools. Bihar has over 75,000 government schools covering all the panchayats and even larger number of private and affiliated schools.
In the second phase, all the family members of the students of the schools will be covered. The in-charge medical officer and block education officer will coordinate prepare the list and select the schools for vaccine camps.
A massive awareness campaign will also be launched to remove misgivings about vaccination and create awareness about the need of getting vaccinated.
The move is significant in view of reports of widespread vaccine hesitancy, either due to certain misgivings or rumours. The Tika Express, a mobile van that carries healthcare staff to far-flung areas offering free vaccination at site to residents, has also met with resistance in several parts of the state.
The government aims to cover the entire population above 18 years of age in a phased manner and hence it now wants to go via the trusted school route.
Additional chief secretary (education) Sanjay Kumar and additional chief secretary (health) Pratyaya Amrit have jointly written to all the district magistrates, civil surgeons and district education officers regarding this along with a format to be filled by teachers, parents and family members of the students.
Jeevika and Asha volunteers will also be involved in the exercise.
The letter says that the officers concerned will prepare an action plan to organised vaccination camps in at least 3-4 schools every day to cover all the persons of the area within three months. Each camp should be able to vaccinate at least 300 beneficiaries in a day and for this awareness campaigns should be launched to make people aware about the need of getting vaccinated to be safe and also keep others safe.
