New Delhi: Taking note of the surge in Covid-19 cases in India, experts in India's health domain on Thursday called for fast-tracking the vaccination drive.
The experts told ETV Bharat that the vaccination should also reach the last mile across India.
In fact, the latest surge is being reported from places that witnessed minimum Covid positive cases in the first wave.
The Association of Healthcare Providers (AHCP-India) has recently written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi drawing his attention to the urgent need to fast track the vaccination drive in the country.
"On March 26, we have written a letter to the Prime Minister drawing his attention on the urgent need to fast track the vaccination drive," said Dr Giridhar Gyani, director-general of AHCPI.
Dr Gyani said, "Considering that Covid second wave is threatening to impact in a big way, we urgently need to fast track the vaccination drive. India can easily administer 20 million doses per day if we are able to utilise the vast capacity within the private sector."
Also read: Amid surge in COVID-19 cases, third phase of vaccination drive begins
He said that 60+ population have shown greater enthusiasm and have received doses at 1 million per day.
AHCPI is representing the private health care sector in India.
Dr Gyani informed that there are about 25000 private hospitals with 30-100 bed capacity and 40,000 hospitals with a 30 bed capacity and over 3,000 bigger private hospitals with a 100 bed and above capacity.
India in the last 24 hours registered 72,330 new Covid cases with 459 deaths. That is the highest single-day rise record since October 2020.
The AHCPI has also forwarded the letter to Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan and Health Secretary Rajesh Bhusan.
Talking on the issue, Dr Tamorish Kole, president of the Asian Society for Emergency Medicine suggested that the government can set local targets and rope in all facilities (Government and private) to achieve maximum vaccination.
"Government can set local targets and rope in all facilities (Government and private) to achieve this. Alternatively, schools and colleges can be used as vaccination centres to ensure last-mile delivery but this has to be done under proper medical support," said Dr Kole.
In India, as of now government hospitals and private hospitals (with required conditions) are being used as vaccination centres to administer the Covid-19 vaccine.
Also read: States are under utilising private hospitals, says AHPI
"If we can include gaon panchayats, schools municipal offices etc, it will be a huge plus point as far as India's Covid19 vaccination drive is concerned," said Dr Kole.
It may be mentioned here that in its Covid-19 vaccines-operational guidelines, the health ministry has already pointed out that locations like school, colleges, community hall, municipal offices, Panchayat Bhawan, marriage places can be identified as outreach session sites for vaccination.
According to Health Ministry statistics, eight states including Maharastra, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Punjab, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh continue to show a surge in daily Covid cases.
More than 85 percent of new cases are coming from these 8 states, the health ministry statistics said.
