BHOPAL: Four major cities in Madhya Pradesh — Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior — have been chosen for supply and distribution of corona vaccine in the state whenever the vaccination drive is started. There are arrangements of deep-freezers in the form of ‘cold chain’ rooms. Then, the vaccine will be distributed at the division and district levels for transportation to focal points. Health staff is being given tips to become familiar with deep-freezers as defrosting the vaccine takes a few hours and additional time is required to prepare the vaccine for administering.
The National Rural Health Mission’s (NHRM’s) immunization department has upgraded the ‘cold chain’ mechanism according to the guidelines of the Centre, which had already told the state government to upgrade the ‘cold chain’ system for corona vaccine. In Bhopal, two deep-freezers have been installed at Hamidia Hospital. Health workers will be the first to receive shots according to the guidelines.
‘Mechanism upgraded’
"We’ve upgraded the cold chain mechanism in the state by making arrangements for deep-freezers. There are four major places — Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior — where it will first land in the state. Then, it will be distributed to 1,308 focal points in the state at 2°Celsius to 8°Celsius. We’re fully prepared in this matter and, whenever the vaccines are started, we’ll be in a position to continue the vaccination drive. The staff is being given tips to become familiar with deep-freezers. Defrosting the vaccine takes a few hours and additional time is required to prepare the vaccine for administering, so all the immunization staff is getting an idea of the technicalities," said Dr Santosh Shukla, state immunization officer.
