JOIN USHealthcare workers' database in Karnataka grew by 5% last week
Healthcare workers' database in Karnataka saw a growth of 5% in the past week as against the national average of 24%. Health Commissioner Dr Trilok Chandra told DH it will take a week to analyse ineligible beneficiaries among these newly registered beneficiaries.
As on April 6, 3.30 pm as many as 5,69,521 health workers and 2,47,058 frontline workers had taken their first dose out of a target of healthcare workers and 2,88,441 frontline workers respectively. The deadline for vaccinating health workers and frontline workers was extended multiple times and last fixed at February 25 for health workers and March 6 for frontline workers. Even then, the provision to register and vaccinate them continues to ensure optimal coverage.
Concerned with the general public posing as healthcare workers and frontline workers, and getting vaccinated, the central government had asked states to vaccinate newly registered workers only in government vaccination centres, if the workers carry an employment certificate issued by the employer.
Health Commissioner Dr Trilok Chandra, told DH, "As per the Co-WIN portal, the percentage of healthcare workers registered in the last one week in the country on an average grew by 24%, and in Karnataka, it grew by 5% from March 22 to March 30. From 7,52,937, it grew to 7,96,221. We have asked these health workers to be verified.
By next week, our analysis will tell us the number of ineligible beneficiaries registered in this category. Frontline workers' database growth is being calculated and will be available by April 7."
Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association President Dr HM Prasanna, said, "There was enough time, as many as three months, given to healthcare workers and frontline workers to register and get themselves vaccinated. We stopped vaccinating them from Monday. If someone approaches us, we send them to the nearest government vaccination centre.
If a below 45 health worker approaches for vaccination, we only look for a hospital ID card, which is scanned and uploaded on the Co-WIN portal."
"The government has a copy of these ID cards. These can be audited anytime. BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta mentioned in our meeting with private hospitals that some vaccination centres have given the vaccine to 16-year-old individuals and 18-year-old individuals saying that they're frontline workers. They are not even legally employable," he added.
Dr Nagarbet, District Immunisation Officer, Vijayapura, said, "Out of a target of 12,000 odd health workers, we have vaccinated all. Out of a target 8,000 frontline health workers too, we have vaccinated all. We can only verify them randomly. Among frontline workers, there are municipality workers and those from Rural Development and Panchayat Raj."
Dr Ishwar Gadad, District Immunisation Officer, Belagavi, said, "As on April 5, 14,294 frontline workers have been vaccinated as against a registered target of 20,399, which is 70% coverage. Among health workers, 41,401 have registered, 37,839 have been vaccinated, which is 76.6% coverage."