Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, Amardeep Singh Bhatia flagged-off the Covid-19 Vaccines on January 14th, 2021 at Directorate of  Health & Family welfare, Kohima.

He highlighted that, 26,500 dosage of vaccine has been received and will be dispatched to 9 sites on the inauguration day on 16th January by the Chief Minister while other two districts have been dispatched today. The 26,500 dosage are for around 12000 beneficiaries for the 1st Phase which will be covering Health Care workers in Health Care facility.

He stated that, lots of preparations have gone into covid vaccination programmes at the sites and has been selected very carefully as per the guidelines given by the Government of India. Also a team consisting of five officers have been trained for the vaccination and either ENM or DNM will be given the injection which is inter-muscular.

Bhatia, informed that the beneficiaries list are already uploaded in covid software which is developed by GoI and beneficiaries will be selected as session planning in each of the districts and will be closely monitored and ensure that security is deployed in each of the sites so that there is little wastage of vaccine during the dispatch. Two vaccines- CoviShield and CoVaxin has been approved and today CoVaxin vaccine has been received, which is a product of collaboration between Oxford Astrazeneca and serum institute of India, he added.

Director, H&FW and officials of NIDA, also highlighted on the acute shortage of doctors and judging by the response of recent recruitment of doctors, there is insufficient doctors available for employment for the next few years which will have severe impact on the delivery of health services. He also pointed on the topic of enhancing superannuation age to 65 and remove the existing 35 years length of service of doctors. Enhancement of superannuation age has been implemented all over the country including North-East except Meghalaya and Nagaland but so far no actions have been taken. NIDA has submitted a representation for enhancement of superannuation age of doctors and the sub -committee is yet to submit is report till date, he stated

(Tovikali, IA)