List ready, but who will administer?
With only a week left before the countrywide Covid-19 vaccination campaign kicks off on February 7, training of field-level healthcare workers in Khulna division is yet to start.
"We are yet to provide any kind of training to those who will administer the vaccine," Khulna district civil surgeon Niaz Mohammad told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said experts from the capital will arrive soon to train the health workers.
According to the civil surgeon's office, Covid-19 vaccination will be given at Khulna Sadar Hospital, Medical College Hospital, Specialized Hospital, Chest Disease Hospital, Police Hospital in the city corporation area and at the health complexes at upazila level.
In Khulna district, a total of 44 teams including 26 in Khulna City Corporation will work in this regard. Each team will consist two vaccinators and four volunteers.
Dr Swapan Kumar Halder, health officer of KCC, said they need exclusive training on handling, preservation and distribution of the vaccine.
Aparna Biswas, health official at Batiaghata upazila, echoed him. She said they have just enrolled names of the personnel who will be vaccinated but did not get any directives from the authorities concerned as to what will be their next course of action.
"It's imperative that the field level health workers be provided with training on how to administer the vaccine and also about the side effects, if any," she said.
Asked, Khulna Divisional Health Director Dr Rashida Begum assured that health workers will be given special training in this regard. She, however, could not say when it will begin or how many staff members will be trained.
This correspondent spoke to many locals who said they were not fully aware of the vaccination campaign. They urged the government to raise awareness among people to rule out misinformation and rumours and ensure clarity and accountability in the campaign.
Saddam Hossain (40), a resident of Bastuhara area in the city, said, "He is willing to take the vaccine but not sure when he will get it."
Meanwhile, health officials of the division said they are well equipped to store the vaccine.
In Khulna district, 33 ILRs (Ice-Lined refrigerators) have been prepared to store about 2.31 lakh coronavirus vaccines. Of these, 7,000 vaccines can be kept in each refrigerator. Of the 33 ILRs, 15 are in the city while two in each upazila.
"The initial preparations for the vaccination have been finalised with the health ministry. We have also formed a committee with the deputy commissioner as president and three member secretaries and members of parliament as advisers," the civil surgeon said.
He said they have also sent a letter to the ministry for 10 more ILRs.
"In the first phase, around 6,000 names have been listed in nine upazilas of Khulna for vaccination with health workers and other frontliners being given the top priority. We are preparing to vaccinate around 97,000 people in the first stage," he said.
As various vaccination activities are already underway at the upazila health complexes, arrangements have been made to preserve the Covid-19 vaccines there, he added.
According to the civil surgeon's office, 97,031 vaccines will arrive at Khulna, in the first phase, within a day or two.
Dr Rashida Begum said, "We have held virtual meetings with the health ministry and department to vaccinate people in the division. I have instructed 10 districts of the division to keep the ILRs ready."
"Preparations have already been completed and a list of those who will be vaccinated [in the first phase] has also been prepared. We have done everything we need to do in order to reach people in a short period of time," she said.
The health department has issued an order of 5.88 lakh vaccines for the division's 10 districts, according to sources.
Till now, 25,488 people have been infected with Covid-19 and 451 have died in the division.
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