29,451 vaccine centres, 10,000 vaccinators, 2,855 cold chain points already identified: Minister
BENGALURU:
The Karnataka government has initiated measures for delivery, distribution and administration of Covid-19 vaccines as per the Centre’s advice. The state’s Covid-19 task force has also met in this regard, Health & Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar said in a press statement on Tuesday.
Dr Sudhakar said the government has identified 29,451 vaccination sites and 10,008 vaccinators as per the norms of the Universal Immunization Programme. Health care workers’ data has already been compiled for all government facilities, while 80% of private health facilities have shared such data, and the remaining 20% will be available in a week’s time.
Regional vaccine stores
The Minister said Karnataka has around 2,855 cold chain points for storage and distribution of vaccines. With a view to having a better supply chain, 3 new regional vaccine stores in Bengaluru Urban, Shivamogga and Ballari have been proposed. These new stores will be fitted with additional walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.
As per the official assessment, the state has 10 walk-in coolers and 4 walk-in freezers. The Centre’s Department of Health and Family Welfare will supply 3 walk-in coolers and 2 walk-in freezers, for which the necessary civil work is being initiated. In order to have an exact assessment of the cold storage capacity required for the Covid-19 vaccine programme, the number of doses in each vial, the volume of each vial, etc., will need to be assessed, and this information has been sought from the Centre, Dr Sudhakar said.
Additional cold stores
On dry storage facilities, Dr Sudhakar said the Centre has allocated some deep freezers and ice-lined refrigerators as per the Universal Immunization Programme norms, and the state has informed the Centre of its additional requirements.
The minister said that data on the cold storage facilities under the Animal Husbandry Department, as well as spare cold storage facilities of private hospitals, especially hospital chains, is being compiled.
