Covid-19: Rajasthan Gears Up To Vaccinate Children Below 17 Years

Aiming for 100 per cent Covid-19 vaccination across the state, the Rajasthan health department is now gearing up to vaccinate those below 17 years of age.

On Thursday, Rajasthan health minister Dr Raghu Sharma said the state has already administered at least one dose of a vaccine to 6,10,93,738 residents, of whom, at least 4,21,52,775 people have been administered the first dose, while 1,89,40,963 people have been administered both doses.

Speaking about the target of 100 per cent vaccination, the minister said, “The department is fully prepared to vaccinate people aged less than 17 years. Medical department officers have been told to speed up the drive so that we can cover the targeted group easily.”

As per health department figures, the number of children in the state within the targeted group of under 17 years, is around 1.1 crore. “By getting the vaccine doses to the children, IEC activities will be carried out and publicity will be done so that everyone feels children will be completely safe with the vaccine,” Sharma added.

Information, Education and Communication (IEC) include activities such as creating door-to-door awareness, mobilisation, vaccine literacy and other facets of development.

In an attempt to prevent seasonal diseases and the anticipated third Covid-19 wave, around 332 Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the state are being developed. More than 1,600 beds will be added, and oxygen generation plants will be set up at 212 CHCs.

The number of beds in ICU, NICU, PICU and SNCU are being increased in all children’s hospitals in the state. To ensure enough oxygen supply, 545 oxygen generation plants have been sanctioned, of which 285 have already been installed, with the rest expected to be up and running soon. “More than 47,000 oxygen concentrators have also been supplied. With these, 1,000-litre metric tonne medical oxygen will be available,” said Sharma.