He said that he would soon chair a review meeting with all the collectors to ensure that at least one dose is given to each beneficiary by November 30. “We want community participation to accelerate the campaign,” Tope said.
The statement is significant in view of the fact that some collectors, including the Aurangabad collector, have made at least one vaccine jab mandatory for residents to buy fuel and ration.
Tope told TOI that there would be weekly review meetings with collectors, and they would be directed to involve NGOs, housing society federations and local leaders to get their help in reaching out to the beneficiaries.
The state is working towards providing at least one dose to 9.14 crore eligible population by 30th November. Out of them, about 2 crore beneficiaries have not received a single dose.
About 5.93 crore beneficiaries have not yet received the second dose. During an interaction with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday, Tope again put forth his demand to reduce the gap of 84 days between giving two Kovishield doses to intensify the vaccination campaign.
Tope said, “We have again requested the Center to reduce the gap between the Kovishield doses, to which they have replied only ‘noted’.” The Minister also apprised the Center about the ongoing programs in the State to boost the vaccination campaign.
“We have assured the Center that the state’s vaccination programs will be expedited and will be scaled up further,” he told TOI.
“Mission Yuva Swasthya has received a good response,” the minister said, adding that the state would make efforts to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries get at least one dose of the vaccine by November 30.
He said that public awareness is being created through various communication models to clear the doubts of citizens on vaccination.
A senior government official told TOI that they would have to review how the collector would reach the target while instructing the machinery to carry out special drives for the campaign.
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