The first case of COVID-19 was identified in China in December 2019, and within a short period, the infection spread across the world. To reduce the morbidity and mortality caused by the virus, the Government of India implemented preventive measures such as lockdowns during the initial phase of the outbreak. Simultaneously, efforts were initiated to strengthen the preparedness of the health system to effectively respond to all aspects of COVID-19 management. In March 2020, COVID-19 was declared a “pandemic” at the global level.

Based on scientific evidence and global best practices, planning for the vaccination campaign had already begun well in advance. In India, the Health Department launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16 January 2021. Although the department had an adequate stock of vaccines and the necessary trained manpower to achieve the vaccination targets, the expected outcomes could not be fully achieved.

Our study identified the following major reasons behind this gap:

• Lack of effective awareness generation and failure to address rumours and misconceptions among the community.

• Insufficient number of vaccination camps.

• Vaccination camps were mainly organized in villages located near Primary Health Centres (PHCs), while remote villages were neglected.

• Many vaccination centres were located outside villages, discouraging people from visiting them.

• Fixed numbers of doses in vaccine vials created operational challenges during the vaccination process.

• Health department staff failed to align vaccination timings with the working schedules of villagers.

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Project support and duration:

Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives Private Limited, Bengaluru has extended financial support for carrying out vaccination efforts in 2 PHC’s namely Parwa and Rampur in Ghatanji blockf or a period of six months started from 1st January 2022 to 30th June, 2022.

 

Selection of Project area:

There are four Public Health Centres in Ghatanji block of Yavatmal District in Maharashtra State. Parva and Rampur PHC’s are among these four PHC’s. Work area of Parwa and Rampur PHC’s is spread over in 40 villages and 24 villages respectively. These two PHC’s are having major Tribal population and the vaccination percentage is low in comperison with other two. Therefore, these two PHC’s were selected after due consideration forfurthering the Covid vaccination process of Health Department.

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Activities performed by the organization:

Rasikashraya, obtained data about population, state of completed vaccination for the villages covered under the project from Taluka Health Office, Ghatanji. The staff was recruited in the Second week of January and they were imparted training in complete process of vaccination and feeding the data in Vaxit App. At the beginning and one months later the meetings were conducted with Sarpanch, Police Patil, Asha workers and Anganwadi Workers of project villages to explain them objective of the project and needful information

required from the villagers. the survey of entire project villages was carried out to understand the situation of vaccination. The survey report helped us in understanding the vaccination situation.

• Awareness meetings were organized in all the 64 project villages

• Planned village level vaccination camps with the help of Health Deartment.

• Organized 516 vaccination camps in 64 project villages

• Paid house to house visit and carried out vaccination and this idea has worked a lot

• Brought about vaccination of 14601 people and could enhance vaccination percentage of both the doses in Parva PHC from 40 % to 93 % and in Rampur PHC from 39 % to 95 %