District Programme Manager (health) Vishal Kumar said currently the entire focus of the health department was on vaccinating 216,000 people within the municipal limits of Darbhanga by July 31.
Bihar government’s initiative to vaccinate the elderly, the specially-abled and severely ailing people at their homes by booking of doses through helpline numbers is mired in confusion and has failed to take off, several officials said.
A call made to Medical Help Line toll free number (18003456610) in Darbhanga, revealed the confusion. While the center recorded the details of the beneficiary with the promise that the concerned primary health centre (Sadar PHC in this case) will administer the dose, the health manager at Sadar PHC in Darbhanga, Rewati Raman, said he had no knowledge of any programme for doorstep vaccination.
“I am not aware about doorstep vaccination for aforesaid target group. So far, I have not received any written or oral instructions from concerned authorities,” he said.
However, district immunization officer (DIO) Amrendra Kumar Mishra assured to do the needful in this regard.
On the other hand, civil surgeon Sanjiva Kumar Sinha said it was not necessary to issue a written communication when a decision had already been made at the government’s level. “It is assumed [to be] known to all [through] from newspaper (sic). If we get such [a] request from public, it will be fulfilled,” he said.
District Programme Manager (health) Vishal Kumar said currently the entire focus of the health department was on vaccinating 216,000 people within the municipal limits of Darbhanga by July 31. Once the department manages to ease the pressure at vaccination centres, the focus will be on door step vaccination, he said.
Some district administration officials said that apart from administration of vaccine at all PHCs, a vaccination drive had been launched to cover cent percent population in urban area between July 25 and 31.
