Bhubaneswar: In an aim to speed up vaccination in Odisha, the state government has allowed private hospitals to administer the jab to persons in the 18-45 years age group. Vaccination of people in 45 plus category will henceforth be available for free at all government-run medical facilities, Additional Chief Secretary PK Mohapatra said Thursday.
“Many private hospitals were engaged in vaccination, charging recipients `250 per shot. However, since May 1, the Centre stopped providing vaccines to private facilities and asked them to procure it on their own. As they have failed to do so, the Odisha government will provide these facilities with vaccines so that the speed of the drive increases. The 18-plus populace will have to pay `100 to the private hospital from which they will get the jab,” informed Mohapatra. He also said about 17 lakh persons are waiting for second dose in Odisha.
Mohapatra informed that there is abundant quantity of the Covaxin jab which is being provided to people in the BMC area. “The rest of the state is being given the Covishield injection and the problems regarding it is well known,” he said. “The chief minister, health minister and other officials have repeatedly written to the Centre to provide us with the Covishield vaccine. We have demanded 15 lakh doses of it. Hopefully, we will get it soon,” he added.
Mohapatra further said that Odisha is likely to get 1,00,000 Covishield doses in the next couple of days and hopefully the entire amount by May 15.
“We are also putting pressure on vaccine manufacturers for quick supply of vaccines. We have told them that we are ready to make advance payments as we are committed to vaccinate all 18-plus people of Odisha.
As per rough calculation, there are 1.16 crore people who are above 45 years in Odisha. Out of them 43.55 lakh (37.5 per cent) person have received first dose. Till date 6,00,000 have got the second jab, the ACS informed.