Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar on Tuesday exuded confidence that the state will achieve the target of 100 per cent Covid-19 vaccination of population above 18 years in next one month.
He said with 3 to 4 lakh people being administered the vaccine every day and improvement in the vaccine supply, the state health department will achieve the target next month.
He was talking to reporters after visiting mega vaccination centre at GHMC Sports Complex at Khajaguda in Hyderabad. Authorities have made arrangement for vaccination from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. Special counters have been arranged for women and senior citizens.
The chief secretary directed the officials to undertake wide publicity in the area to inform people about the vaccination facility. He asked them to especially focus on migrant labourers.
He said six more mega vaccination centres will be set up in the city to further improve the vaccination coverage.
The chief secretary said the state has so far administered 2.8 crore doses. A total of 2.02 crore people have taken the first dose.
He pointed out that supply of Covid vaccines to the state has improved. “This month the state will receive one crore doses,” he said
Somesh Kumar said vaccination was underway in all the districts. He said in districts where the pace of vaccination is slow, he would speak to the district collectors concerned and ask them to expedite the process.
The officials are focusing on districts where the vaccination coverage is less than 72 per cent. Only around 50-55 per cent of people have taken the first jab in six districts.
Telangana has a population of 4.1 crore, of which around 2.8 crore are above the age of 18 years. Officials said 71.42 per cent eligible beneficiaries have taken the first dose.
According to director of public health G. Srinivasa Rao, 2.02 crore people have taken the first dose, and 78 lakh the second dose.
However, around 25 lakh people who were due for second dose have skipped it despite completing the prescribed time interval between two doses. Of them, 15 lakh took the first dose of Covishield and the remaining took Covaxin.
Only 32 per cent of those vaccinated have taken the second dose. Authorities attributed this to misconception that the pandemic is over. He appealed to people due for second dose to immediately approach the nearest vaccination centre and take the second jab.