Bhubaneswar: Odisha will kick off its COVID-19 vaccination drive with 16,100 front-line healthcare workers, who will take the jab on Saturday as part of the nationwide vaccine launch, beginning 10.30 am.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually kick start the programme at two centres – Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, and District Headquarters Hospital, Sundargarh. Post the launch, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will join the 161 vaccination sites via video conferencing,” State Vaccine Nodal Officer Bijaya Kumar Mishra told the media.
According to official sources, Odisha has received 4.08 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine and 20,000 doses of Covaxin vaccine in the first lot and these have been dispatched to the cold chain points in the districts. The phase-I vaccination drive in the state will continue for over 12 days.
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The government is targeting to give the first shot of the vaccine to 1.92 lakh of the total 3.38 lakh registered healthcare workers within a week using the available vials.
“Extensive arrangements have been made for the mega vaccination drive. Necessary infrastructure has been created across districts for this purpose,” Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) CBK Mohanty was quoted as saying by IANS.
In Bhubaneswar, the vaccination will be conducted at six-session sites of Capital Hospital, Unit IV-based health centre, Bhubaneswar branch AIIMS, KIIMS and SUM Hospital, BMC Commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhary informed.
