Odisha Govt Plans To Set Up COVID Vaccine Centres In More Pvt Hospitals

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday decided to conduct COVID-19 vaccination in private hospitals other than those empanelled under Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).

In a letter to the district collectors and municipal commissioners, Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Pradipta Mohapatra said the COVID-19 vaccination of the health care workers, frontline workers and vaccination of the age-appropriate group of citizens is going on smoothly in the state for which the private hospitals empanelled under CGHS & BSKY have been designated as COVID-19 vaccination centres along with the government health facilities to provide vaccination services.

Stating that as the government has decided to expand the COVID-19 vaccination services in the community, Mohapatra requested them to verify and recommend any of the private hospitals in their respective district not empanelled under BSKY/CGHS which meets the following criteria for COVID-19 vaccination centres.

Sufficient cold chain equipment and capacity.
Sufficient rooms/space for waiting area, vaccination and observation post-vaccination.
Sufficient number of trained vaccinators and verifiers.
Ability to manage the Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI), as per the norms and guideline of the Ministry.

Mohapatra also requested them to assess the feasibility of such private hospitals and submit the proposal at the earliest.