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Dimapur, Dec. 16 (EMN): As the preparation for Covid-19 vaccination drive has began after the government of India had asked the states to set up a three-tier system for rollout of the vaccine, an official informed that Nagaland has enough equipment like cold storage facilities for the massive vaccination exercise.
Speaking to Eastern Mirror, Dr. Ritu Thurr, State Immunisation Officer (SIO), said that Nagaland has 119 cold chain points and other equipment, which is enough to carry out the vaccination drive in the state.
He explained that the Health department has two types of electrical cold chain points -- deep freezer and ice-lined refrigerator – but the walk-in-cooler is non-functional, for which they have sent a proposal for repair and awaiting response.
Thurr further updated that the department “has placed some additional cold chain equipment and will be giving out information very shortly”.
On vaccination, the official informed that as per the directive of the government of India, first category of staff to be vaccinated are healthcare workers, and so, enumerated data collection has been done electronically, and 19,645 beneficiaries were already uploaded in the portal.
He went on to say that the second phase of vaccination will include frontline workers like armed forces, police, disaster management forces and municipal workers, but data collection has not started.
‘We still do not know when the vaccine will be made available in the country, and we are still on the preparative phase,’ he added.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had earlier said that a total of 29000 cold chain points, 240 walk-in coolers, 70 walk-in freezers, 45000 ice-lined refrigerators, 41000 deep freezers and 300 solar refrigerators will be used for storing Covid-19 vaccine in the country.
“All necessary resources of vaccination have been delivered to the states,” he had informed.