Tag: covid 19 vaccination drive

UN agencies working closely with India as country launches world’s largest COVID vaccination drive

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As India launched the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccination drive, several UN agencies are working closely with authorities for the massive vaccination programme, a spokesperson for the UN chief has said. In India, the UN team led by Resident Coordinator Renata Dessallien is supporting the government and UN partners in the massive COVID-19 vaccination programme, said Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.

”UN agencies are working closely with authorities to prepare and launch what is currently the world’s largest vaccination drive,” he told reporters at the daily press briefing, adding that as of Tuesday, the Indian government has vaccinated nearly half a million people. India on January 16 rolled out the massive coronavirus vaccination drive under which two domestically manufactured vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin –are being administered to frontline health workers across the country.

While Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield is being manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, the Covaxin is being produced by Bharat Biotech. So far a total of 4,54,049 vaccinations have been done, according to data from India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. There have been about 580 cases of adverse effects following the vaccinations so far and two people have died. The government has said the deaths are not related to the vaccine.

Dujarric said UN teams have monitored more than 4,000 vaccination sessions so far and have helped to train more than 300,000 vaccinators and healthcare workers. ”We are also providing technical assistance, including helping to ensure cold-chain equipment for the vaccines,” he said.  In India, the UN team’s work has led to a five-fold increase in investments to address gender-based violence since the start of the pandemic, he added. UN agencies have helped to train hundreds of crisis centre workers who support thousands of survivors of gender-based violence every month. We have also trained 47,000 nurses and others to address violence against women, girls and others, Dujarric said.

UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) has helped nearly half a million children in institutions and foster care. We have also helped nearly 5 million children and women receive health care, Dujarric said, adding that the UN has trained law enforcement agency officials to prevent and counter human trafficking. A campaign by UNAIDS (a joint United Nations programme against HIV/AIDS) to build solidarity for the LGBTQI community has reached millions of people.

India has over 10.5 million COVID-19 infections, the second-highest in the world after the worst-hit US with over 24 million cases and more than 400,000 deaths. The virus has claimed over 150,000 lives in India. WHO representative in India, Roderico Ofrin, said the World Health Organisation has provided technical assistance to the government for the development of operational guidelines and other training materials for state and district programme managers and vaccinators, and establishing tracking and accountability frameworks, according to a UN news release.

Ofrin said WHO field officers have facilitated the highest-level oversight through regular task force meetings at state and district levels, which are chaired by the principal secretaries (Health) at the state level and district magistrates at the district level. Prior to the start of the campaign, UN agencies help with detailed preparations, the release said. For its part, WHO participated in dry-run simulations and provided feedback on management of vaccines, registration of beneficiaries, as well as reporting on vaccination coverage and adverse events following immunisation. It also worked with the government and the UN Development Programme on real-time reporting and problem-solving when issues arose at the vaccination sites, Ofrin said.

At the provincial level, WHO supported implementation and monitoring of health policy, such as developing standard operating procedures, preparing technical briefs, and providing best practices from other parts of India as well as other countries. Similarly, UNICEF supported communication and advocacy efforts to ensure the dissemination of factual information to stakeholders and communities. Over the months, the agency also helped train healthcare staff in infection control and prevention, and psychosocial support to children and caregivers, the release said.

Aside from directly supporting the vaccine rollout, UN agencies continued their programmes to assist the most vulnerable communities impacted by COVID-19 and its socio-economic fallouts. Though vaccination programmes are underway, continued vigilance against COVID-19 and preventing its spread remain as important as ever, the UN said.

Ofrin urged continued vigilance over tracking cases, cluster investigation, isolation and clinical care, and quarantining to break the chain of transmission. Alongside, he also highlighted the ”three W’s — wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance” to stop the spread of COVID-19. India on Tuesday announced that it will send COVID-19 vaccines under grant assistance to Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and Seychelles from Wednesday and supplies to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Mauritius will commence after confirmation of necessary regulatory clearances.

Click here: For the latest news and updates on COVID-19

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Steel companies engage with vaccine makers for bulk supply of doses for employees

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Leading steel-producing companies in the country are drawing up plans to vaccinate their employees across offices and plant sites with the start of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive. Domestic steel makers like — Tata Steel, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS India) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL) said they will continue to support the government in the nationwide drive and will wait till vaccines are available for corporates.

Meanwhile, players like JSW Steel and Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) are already in talks with Indian vaccine makers to place orders according to their requirements. JSPL Chief Human Resource Officer said ”we are reaching out to vaccine manufacturers for bulk supply of doses and will try to get these doses after completion of all frontline COVID warriors’ vaccination.” The company has already categorised employees in order of vulnerability, so the ones above the age of 50 years and those who were infected from COVID-19 can be vaccinated first.

JSPL will seek the guidance of the government and will try to get all its employees vaccinated, he said adding the company has been conducting RT-PCR test, a test which detects COVID-19 virus, of all employees twice a month since September 2020.

Meanwhile, JSW Group which employs 55,000 people directly and indirectly, has plans to vaccinate its staff working at its corporate offices, plants and townships in next financial year. The group is in talks to buy 2 lakh doses initially from one of the Indian vaccine makers and inject double shots once authorities allow private corporate vaccination programme.

The first COVID-19 vaccine shots in India were given on Saturday to nearly two lakh frontline healthcare and sanitary workers as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rolled out the world’s largest inoculation drive against the pandemic that has caused 1,52,093 deaths and upended millions of lives in the country.

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech are the two vaccines being given to frontline workers including doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, ambulance drivers and other medical staff besides sanitation workers, police etc. State-owned RINL and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) have sent details of its employees to the administration and who will be vaccinated based on priority. Both SAIL and RINL also run hospitals at their plant sites.

A Tata Steel Spokesperson said the company has been working very closely with the government and respective state governments of Jharkhand and Odisha from the start of the pandemic and serving the community with medical facilities at various locations of its operations. Tata Main Hospital (TMH) at Jamshedpur, in Jharkhand has been the largest COVID care facility in the state with over 1,000 beds dedicated for the purpose. As on date, TMH is the designated hospital for conducting COVID vaccine trials.

In line with the priority decided by the government, the vaccination is being started with 3,000 health workers at TMH from January 16 onwards. ”We will continue to work with the government and as and when further vaccines are made available, we would vaccinate our employees as per the guidelines. As always, Tata Steel stands committed to the safety and security of its employees across locations of its operations,” the spokesperson said.

AMNS India CEO Dilip Oommen said, ”AMNS India has always given the highest priority to the health and safety of its employees. Whenever the vaccines are available to the corporates, we shall certainly take them on priority and provide it free of cost to all the employees.”

Click here: For the latest news and updates on COVID-19

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

COVID-19 vaccination drive begins in Maharashtra

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The COVID-19 vaccination drive began in Maharashtra on Saturday along with the rest of the country. Dr Ranjit Mankeshwar, Dean, JJ Hospital, in Mumbai and Dr Padmaja Saraf were among the first beneficiaries to receive the vaccine shots in Mumbai and at Jalna civil hospital, respectively.

The inoculation drive is taking place at 285 centres in Maharashtra where 100 healthcare workers will be administered the shots in a day, and cover 28,500 workers, an official said. The state has received 9.63 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 20,000 doses of Covaxin vaccine, which have been distributed to all the districts.

Also Read: PM launches India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19

At JJ Hospital in Mumbai, a doctor didn’t take the vaccine dose as had developed some allergy in his eyes on Saturday, which is not related to inoculation, doctors said.

Also Read: COVID-19 vaccination begins in Delhi, healthcare workers get first shots

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM launches India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive and asserted that the made-in-India vaccines being rolled out will ensure a ”decisive victory” for the country over the coronavirus pandemic.

Addressing the nation ahead of the launch, Modi reminded people that two doses of vaccine are very important and asked them to maintain wearing masks and social distancing even after receiving the jabs. ”’Dawai bhi, kadai bhi,” he said. During his speech, Modi turned emotional as he spoke of the disruption the pandemic caused to people’s lives, isolating victims of the coronavirus and denying the dead traditional last rites.

In a choked voice, the prime minister also referred to sacrifices made by healthcare and frontline workers, hundreds of whom lost their lives to the viral infection.

He also urged the country to show patience during the vaccination drive as it had shown till now in fighting the pandemic. Normally, it takes years to make a vaccine but in such a short span of time, not one, but two ’Made in India’ vaccines are ready, Modi said, adding work on other vaccines is also progressing at a fast pace.

India getting two vaccines in such a short time is a testimony to the talent and skills of the nation’s scientists’, the prime minister said. ”Our vaccination programme is driven by humanitarian concerns, those exposed to maximum risk will get priority,” he said.

Modi said that scientists and experts have given permission for emergency use of the made-in-India vaccines only after being absolutely sure of their safety and the people should be aware of any propaganda and rumours. The made-in-India vaccines will ensure a ”decisive victory” for the country over the coronavirus pandemic, he asserted.

Modi also asked people to guard against complacency and follow the mantra ’Dawaai bhi, kadaai bhi’ (referring to vaccines as well as strict compliance with COVID-appropriate behaviour). The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier this month approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

This will be the world’s largest vaccination programme covering the entire length and breadth of the country. According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities.

Cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government.

Click here: For the latest news and updates on COVID-19

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow