Dhanbad health dept ropes in public, private sector units to achieve Covid vaccination target

The Dhanbad health department has roped in the district-based public and private sector units for achieving the target of the Covid vaccination campaign.

District Reproductive Child Healthcare (DRCH) officer Dr Sanjiv Kumar on Saturday said that the health department has so far lined up with the management of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), DVC, ACC cement Sindri, HURL Sindri, Maithon Power Limited (MPL) and Tata Steel Jharia colliery division for cooperation in covering the beneficiaries of Covid vaccination under corporate social responsibility (CSR).

In this regard, Dr Sanjiv Kumar held a meeting with the chief medical officers of all BCCL Colliery Areas at BCCL headquarters in Koyla Bhawan on August 3 for the implementation of a vaccination campaign in collieries.

As per the official record of the state health department, Dhanbad has merely 45% coverage of 12 years to 14 years age groups and 50% in 15 to 17 years age groups.

Dr Kumar said since BCCL covers 1/3^rd area of the district and has a workforce of 40,000 regular employees and 1.20 lakh outsourcing miners, 100% target can’t be achieved without vaccination of their wards.

“So the health department has written a letter to the chairman cum managing director (CMD) of BCCL Samiran Dutta (who also holds additional charge of director personnel) to direct the general managers of all colliery areas for ensuring coverage of miners and their family members,” said Dr Sanjiv Kumar.

The central government has already directed to administer precautionary doses to all people above 18 years. Since the health department is reeling under an acute shortage of staff after the termination of outsourcing employees, public and private sector units have been requested to help in vaccination in their area under the CSR fund.

“Since school management does not cooperate in vaccination, coverage of 12 to 14 years age groups and 15-17 years is poor in district. But in collaboration with PUC and private sector, coverage would be encouraged in these age groups,” said DRCH officer Dr Sanjiv.

He said that 35 to 40 vaccination centres function in the district per day but people do not appear for the same.

Meanwhile, ACC cent Sindri and Tata Steel Jharia Collieries Division have already started covering their employees and their family members after getting the letter from the health department