The Center has chosen eight districts in four states of Punjab, Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat to assess the readiness of the established mechanism for the vaccination campaign against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19). The two-day test will take place on December 28 and 29, authorities said.
“The trial is being carried out to mobilize all the elements involved in the Covid-19 vaccination campaign that is planned for next year to test the vaccine delivery machinery. All the elements, except the vaccine, will be mobilized, ”said a senior official from the Union’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, requesting anonymity.
According to officials, it is likely that five sites will be established in each of the two districts of a state for the purpose of vaccinating beneficiaries. “Two districts of each of these four states have been identified where this drill will take place simultaneously in these two days,” said another official from the Ministry of Health, who also declined to be identified.
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The Ministry of Health has prepared a detailed checklist and shared it with the four states to guide them through the trial. “The central government is preparing for the deployment of the Covid-19 vaccine throughout the country. Since vaccine administrators will play an important role in the immunization process, training of trainers and those who will administer the vaccine has begun in various states, ”the ministry said.
Here’s what you need to know about the essay:
1. The exercise will include the necessary data entry into Co-WIN, an online platform for tracking vaccine delivery, receiving and assigning tests, deployment of team members, a mock of the sites of sessions with test beneficiaries, as well as a briefing and evening meeting. according to the health ministry of the Union.
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2. The Health Ministry has said that it will also include cold storage tests and transportation arrangements for the Covid-19 vaccine, crowd management at session sites with adequate physical distance.
3. Each state will plan it in two districts and preferably in five different session type settings: district hospital, community health center (CHC) or primary health care center (PHC), urban site, private health center, and rural outreach.
4. “This exercise will enable end-to-end mobilization and testing of the Covid-19 vaccination process (except vaccine) and will test the use of Co-WIN in a field setting, the links between planning mechanisms, implementation and reporting, identify challenges and guide the way forward before actual implementation, including improvements that may be required in the planned process, ”said the Ministry of Health.
5. Particular emphasis will be placed on checking how potential post-vaccination adverse events will be managed, as each session site will have a designated health care center linked to it to treat people who may develop any discomfort or discomfort afterward. of vaccination. It will also focus on how infection control practices will be followed during vaccination at the session site so that it does not become a ground for disease transmission.
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6. This will also provide hands-on experience for program managers at various levels. An important focus of the trial will be on the management of any potential adverse post-immunization event (AEFI), as well as adherence to and management of infection control practices at the session site to prevent disease transmission.
7. The drill will include simultaneous monitoring and review at the block and district level, and preparation of comments to share with the state and the Center.
8. Specific training modules have been developed for clinicians, vaccinators, substitute vaccinators, cold chain handlers, supervisors, data managers, ASHA coordinators, and everyone else involved in the implementation process at different levels.
9. The training includes all operational aspects such as the organization of vaccination sessions, use of the IT platform Co-WIN for the management of the entire vaccination process, deployment of preparation for the HR cold chain, management of adverse events, communications and intersectoral coordination, biomedical waste. management protocols, infection prevention among others.
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10. 2,360 participants were trained during a nationwide training of trainers, which included state immunization officials, cold chain officials, information, education and communication officials, and development partners. The training was completed in all states and territories of the Union with the participation of more than 7,000 apprentices at the district level, except Lakshadweep, which will conduct it on December 29. Additionally, 681 districts completed training of medical officers on operational guidelines, the ministry said.
11. To facilitate the response to inquiries about Covid-19 vaccination and the Co-WIN portal, the capacity of the national and state helpline has also been strengthened. The National Group of Experts on Covid-19 Vaccine Administration (NEGVAC) has recommended three prioritized population groups, including healthcare workers, frontline workers, and the prioritized age group.
(With contributions from the agency)
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