Low turnout in few districts, no complaint mark Day 1 of vaccination drive in Bihar

PATNA: The grand launch of vaccination drive against Covid-19 at 301 centres across the state on Saturday was successful.
At Saran, the exercise was launched at Chhapra Sadar hospital in the presence of DM Dr Nilesh Ramchandra Deore. Shivanand and Aqli Devi, the two sanitary staff of the hospital, were the first in the district to get the vaccine. The immunization hall was decorated with balloons and the beneficiaries were welcomed with roses.Saran civil surgeon Dr M Jha said it would be done on four days a week, except Wednesday and Friday.
At Katihar, more than 399 beneficiaries had been vaccinated till afternoon and the figures were likely to reach 630-650 (70% of the target of 900) by 5pm, said district programme manager Manish Kumar. He said initially the number of registered beneficiaries refusing vaccination was very high, but later it was smooth. “We arranged tea for them,” he said.
At Begusarai, the drive was launched at Sadar hospital by Union minister and local MP Giriraj Singh. The first one to get the vaccine was Piyush, a local health worker. The hospital premises and the immunization room were tastefully decorated. An observation room was attached to the immunization room. Piyush, after getting the shot, told the minister that he was feeling well and very happy.
In West Champaran, altogether 16,858 medical staff are being vaccinated in the first phase, civil surgeon Dr Arun Kumar Sinha said. The drive was launched at Government Medical College, Bettiah, in the presence of DM Kundan Kumar.
Eight community health centres have been earmarked for vaccination in the first phase in Sitamarhi. DM Abhilasha Kumari Sharma was present at Sadar hospital on Saturday.
At Darbhanga, DM Thiyagrajan SM inaugurated the drive at Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital amid festive mood. Dr Sunil Kumar Gupta, skin disease specialist at the hospital, was the first to be vaccinated. Two private hospitals in the town also carried the drive.
Altogether 570 health and frontline workers in Nalanda and their 280 counterparts in Sheikhpura districts were vaccinated on Saturday. None of the beneficiaries complained of any complications. Also, 20 of the 70 beneficiaries at Biharsharif based Jeevan Jyoti Super Speciality Hospital and 400 across nine government healthcare centres did not turn up for vaccination. Regarding the low turnout, Nalanda civil surgeon Ram Singh said, “This may be due to some confusion.”
At two out of the 14 centres in Gaya district, including Banke Bazar and Amas, the first three to get the vaccine shots were women. Nurse Geeta Kumari, who got the shot at the Red Cross Society, said: “I did not have any problem in getting the vaccine injected. I feel absolutely fine and there is no complication.”
In East Champaran, 650 healthcare workers and doctors were vaccinated at nine government hospitals and two private nursing homes, civil surgeon Dr Akhileshwar Prasad Singh said. In Sharan Nursing Home at Motihari, noted surgeon Ashutosh Sharan took the vaccine and said he did not feel anything unusual. “Many people were scared about getting vaccinated, but I volunteered for it to set an example,” he said.
At Madhepura, 448 healthcare workers and doctors were administered vaccines at eight centres. Almost 56% of the beneficiaries preferred vaccination on the first day of the drive and reported no complain till late evening.
At Samastipur, health workers were vaccinated at 11 centres. No adverse impact of the vaccine was reported by anywhere. A sanitation worker, Mohan, was vaccinated first at Dalsingsarai. Civil Surgeon Dr Satyendra Kumar said 19,477 people will be vaccinated in the district in the first phase.
(With inputs from H K Verma, Sanjeev Mishra, Rajiv Kumar, Tirthraj Kushwaha, SK Singh, B K Jha, Farrukh Nadim, Alok Kumar, C B Pandey, D N Saha & S K Jain)