Amidst a milestone, Telangana stares at bigger challenge

Hyderabad: Even after reaching the milestone of administering 3 crore vaccine doses in the State on Friday, the Department of Public Health and Family Welfare stares at a bigger challenge as it plans to vaccinate all eligible adults in the State by December end, including those in the age group 12 and 18 years.

As per the reports available till October 20, nearly 75 per cent of people have taken a single dose of vaccine, while just 39 per cent received both the doses. In districts like Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Rajanna-Sircilla and Mulugu, the administration of first dose is all most complete, while it is 60 to 75 per cent in over 25 districts. Nalgonda, Warangal Rural, Jogulamba-Gadwal and Vikarabad districts have recorded below 60 per cent.

When it comes to second dose of vaccine administration, except for Hyderabad and Rangareddy, no other district could cross the 50 per cent mark. A worry cause is as many as 36 lakh people, who received the first dose, skipped the second dose despite crossing the due date, and over 69 lakh people among the 2.77 crore eligible for the vaccine are yet to get their first dose. Vikarabad, Jogulamba-Gadwal, Adilabad, Narayanpet and Komaram-Bheem districts have not even witnessed a 20 per cent administration of the second dose.

When the inoculation drive for adults was launched in January 2021, it took around 10 months for the State government to vaccinate the first dose to 75 per cent and 39 per cent for the second dose. Besides this, in a couple of weeks, the Central government is expected to issue guidelines for vaccination of adolescents in the country. In this regard, an extra one crore of adolescents need to be vaccinated and the number could rise further in urban areas due to presence of outsiders. In this scenario, how the State government will be able to vaccinate all eligible just in a span of two months is a question that needs to be answered.

Initially, the State government prioritised vaccinating those in the age group of 12 and 18. In view of this, vaccinating adolescents and further speeding up the process of vaccinating all the adults in the State is a big challenge for the government where many districts are performing poor in administering the second dose. Upon reaching the 3 crore mark, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar appreciated the medical officials and staff for their contribution and urged all the eligible to get vaccinated.

So far….

♦ 75% got their first dose

♦ 39% got both the doses

♦ Only Hyderabad, Rangareddy cross 50% mark in second dose administration

♦ 36 lakh skip second dose

♦ 69 lakh are yet to get their first dose