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Centre, states discuss ways to bolster ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ Covid vaccination program, as 38% population fully vaccinated
“Lets us ensure collectively through collaborative and multi-stakeholder efforts that no eligible citizen is left without the ‘Suraksha Kawachh’ of Covid-19 vaccine in the country,” Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday discussed various measures with the states and Union territories to strengthen the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination campaign. He called upon the states, UTs to work together to ensure that all eligible people in the country are covered under the national immunisation drive.
“Lets us ensure collectively through collaborative and multi-stakeholder efforts that no eligible citizen is left without the ‘Suraksha Kawachh’ of Covid-19 vaccine in the country. Let us reach each corner and household across the country and motivate people to take both the doses under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Har Ghar Dastak campaign,” Mandaviya said during the meeting.
The door-to-door vaccine campaign was initially launched earlier this month for a period of one month with a special focus on second dose vaccinations. Also, people who have not been administered the first dose, would also be vaccinated during the campaign, the Union health ministry had said earlier.
Mandaviya said that 79% of the adult population has been administered with the first dose of the vaccine while 38% has received the second dose. He said that over 12 crore people are due for the second dose of the vaccine, and directed the state health ministers to ensure that all the adult population is covered with the first dose under campaign and to motivate people who are awaiting their second dose.
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“Let us start Covid vaccination centres at bus stations, railway stations etc., especially in large metros, as these are the primary points for a large number of people entering the city. Some states have started a ‘Roko and Toko’ campaign where the passengers alighting from buses, trains, rickshaws etc., are motivated to take the vaccine doses,” Mandaviya said. “One day can be dedicated for traders, hawkers, vendors, shopkeepers etc., which other days we can mobilise rickshaw pullers and auto drivers. One day can be dedicated to labourers and farmers,” he added.
He also suggested that children could be the ambassadors for behaviour change and urged the states to rope in children for taking forward the message of full vaccination. “Let the children motivate their parents and the other family members to take both the vaccine doses”, he said.
Further, he also said that the pandemic is not over yet, as the country aims to completely vaccinate all eligible beneficiaries by the end of this year. “We shouldn't think that COVID is over. Cases are rising globally. In Singapore, Britain, Russia and China cases are rising again despite more than 80 percent vaccination. Vaccination and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) should go hand in hand,” he said.
Meanwhile, Union minister of state for health and family welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar said that the ministry also reviewed the Covid-19 vaccination programme with state health ministers. “During the meeting, discussed the active implementation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Har Ghar Dastak campaign’ (November 3 to 30, 2021) so that the benefits of the vaccination drive reaches every citizen of the country,” Pawar tweeted.
As of 7am on the day, more than 110 crore Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered to eligible beneficiaries in the country. “With the administration of 57,54,817 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has crossed the landmark of 110 Cr (1,10,23,34,225) as per provisional reports till 7 am today,” the ministry said in a statement. Also, 13,091 new Covid-19 cases and 340 related deaths were reported across the country in the last 24 hours.
