Covid-19 vaccine: Karnataka govt gears up to create health workers' database

A plethora of health workers will be included in the list of frontline workers who will first receive the Covid-19 vaccine

The health department is gearing up to meet the October 31 deadline set by the Government of India to complete preliminary data collection of health workers, who will be the first to receive Covid vaccine, when it becomes available.

Categories of healthcare workers who will be part of this list, include frontline health workers, auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), accredited social health activists (ASHAs), anganwadi workers, staff nurses and supervisors, medical officers, AYUSH doctors, paramedical staff, scientists and research staff, medical, paramedical and nursing students, support staff, clerical and administrative staff, other health staff working in all government and private health facilities, including hospitals, colleges, clinics and laboratories.

Public facilities include medical colleges, super-specialty hospitals, hospitals at all levels, community health centres, primary health centres, urban primary health centres, health and wellness centres, cancer institutes and hospitals, TB hospitals and clinics, dispensaries, tribal health facilities, AYUSH hospitals & dispensaries.

Also included are hospitals/ health facilities under the municipalities, zilla panchayats and all private establishments, including those managed by NGOs.

All the health facilities registered through Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act are being informed through online portal and SMS messages for timely data collection.

A press note released by the health department said the existing cold chain system of routine immunisation under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) will be utilised for Covid-19 vaccine introduction. “The cold chain preparedness and strengthening assessment is being done at state-level and in all the districts,” the note said.

“A state-level orientation was held for all DCs and DHOs and reproductive and child health officers (RCHO) on October 20,” it added. All districts have started district-level orientation for the government and private health facilities. Standard templates for collection of details of healthcare workers are being shared with all healthcare facilities.

State is trying through various fora to reach health facilities in government and private sectors for timely data collection. All professional bodies, including the Indian Medical Association, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, Indian Academy of Paediatrics, are being actively involved. Immunisation partners: UNDP, WHO and UNICEF would be providing technical support to the government in this initiative.