Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh’s health department is waiting for clear directives and guidelines from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) of the Government of India for the “cold chain” and it's up-gradation needed for COVID-19 vaccines.
It is expected that the vaccine will be available by February-March next year. ACS Mohammed Suleman informed a review meeting that Lav Agrawal, Health Secretary, Union government, instructed to have a cold–chain for corona vaccine
However, the Health department has started focusing on up-gradation cold chain for COVID -19 vaccines. However, there is already infrastructure regarding “cold chain” which can store vaccines at -0.8 degrees Celsius temperature with the health department in the state as health department carries on vaccines drive from time to time. In case, there is a need, the health department will have to make minor addition for upgradation in the present form of the cold chain.
Additional Director (Health) Dr Vina Sinha said, “we have a cold chain but it will be restructured or added something as per guidelines and directives of Government of India. Recently, ACS Suleman raised the issue of updating the cold chain for the COVID vaccine. So the health department already has and it will be upgraded as per requirement after guidelines of the central government. We are waiting for it.”
Medical Superintendent of Hamidia Hospital Dr. ID Chaurasia said, “we have a sound arrangement of cold chain as we already keep vaccines in it. So we do not have any problems if COVID-19 vaccines are made available here. The vaccine is expected to available by March next year. So we have all preparations at Hamidia Hospital.”
