Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all geared-up in the completion of vaccination centres for the mass vaccination drive starting from tomorrow (January 16) and have decided to vaccinate 4,000 beneficiaries on the first day. However, the civic body is yet to activate CoWin application and have also not sent a list of the healthcare workers who will be getting to the respective vaccination centres. Civic officials said they will receive the CoWin application by late evening and the preparedness of the vaccination centres is on the last stage. Moreover, BMC has distributed more than 400 vials at each of the nine centres, along with this, they have issued guidelines on who can be vaccinated and what rules to follow.
Nurses who are part of the five-member team said they have not seen or handled the actual CoWin application and no training has been provided so far regarding the same. “We don’t know what is actually going to happen on the day of the vaccination drive as we are prepared with everything except handling CoWin application. However we are waiting for it as higher authorities informed us we will be trained by Friday late evening,” she said.
Mumbai’s four medical colleges -- Sion, KEM, Nair and Cooper -- will handle the bulk of vaccinations. The vaccination centre at Parel’s KEM, set up on the second floor of the new hospital building, saw computers and internet connectivity being installed and the entry and exit signages were being earmarked, even as vaccine FAQs sheets were being plastered on the walls. Moreover, the token display system was yet to be installed at some of the vaccination centres, though hospital authorities said it would be complete by evening.
Similar activity was going on at BYL Nair Hospital where a massive tent has been set up to serve as the waiting area once a beneficiary reaches the centre. The vaccination room has 10 chairs and stools placed in a row, with each set being divided by an antibacterial curtain. The hospital has two data operators for now. However, the civic body has directed all the centres to work late evening until the work is completed without any glitches. “The hospital administration has asked to work till late Friday evening until all work is completed and to cross check before leaving whether everything is working properly or not to avoid any problem tomorrow (January 16),” said an official.
Suresh Kakani, Additional Municipal Commissioner said they have activated 40 vaccination booths at the nine centres and over 400 beneficiaries will be inoculated at each centre. However, few works at vaccination centres are still pending which will be completed before the vaccination drive starts. Moreover, they have prepared the list of HCWs and will send messages to everyone. “The vaccination drive will start at 10.30 am at all the centres for which we are well prepared and we are trying there should be no loopholes considering it is the biggest Covid-19 vaccination drive across India. Meanwhile, we will be sending messages to all the HCWs registered for the vaccination drive once CoWin application is activated,” he said.
Meanwhile, they will be inoculating 4,000 beneficiaries at all the nine centres which means 500 each at the centres. Moreover, 10 people can be vaccinated at one time with the 5ml of Covishield vaccine. “Earlier we had decided to vaccinate 12,000 per day, but as it is the first day we will inoculate 4,000 beneficiaries. Moreover, if any beneficiaries do not turn to vaccination centres for three times despite being registered they will be marked as defaulters," said Dr Sheela Jagtap, Mumbai Immunisation officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However the stock will last for six days and if any centres require more dosages they should inform 24 hours before.
Moreover, in Maharashtra, two sites have been chosen for the webcast, including the Cooper Hospital in Mumbai and the other site is a hospital in Pune, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 10.30 am, while Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackerey will launch the vaccine drive against Covid-19 at BKC vaccination centre at 10 am.
Meanwhile, Sir Jamshedji Jeejeebhoy hospital which is one of the centres for the Bharat Biotech Covaxin has yet to complete the work as they are busy working since Friday morning to set a vaccination centre on the second floor of the hospital next to the Outpatient Department. “In very short period we were intimated of being one of the centres following which we instructed all our staff to work until today (Saturday). Moreover we had sent a team to collect the vaccines from Thane,” said a senior official.
