Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta on Thursday directed the additional chief secretary (health) Arun Kumar Singh to arrange for vaccination camp at the places of residence of Tana Bhagats across the state.
Significantly, Tana Bhagats (over 21,000) are tribal and ardent followers of Gandhian philosophy and guided by their motto of simple living and gather around and worship the Indian Tricolour each Thursday.
The Tana Bhagats are strictly vegetarians and teetotallers and eat only home-cooked food.
“It is fortunate that not a single Tana Bhagats has been infected with Covid both during the first and second wave and it may be due to their high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. The health department will identify the Tana Bhagats and arrange for their vaccination on camp mode either by establishing vaccination camp near to their places of residence or through mobile vans,” said Banna Gupta.
Significantly, on Wednesday, Jharkhand added three more deaths due to Covid taking the total mortality figure to 5076 and added 302 more positive cases taking the active caseload to 4,783.
Acting on the directive of the Supreme Court order, state health department has directed all Covid hospitals to have fire safety audits.
“All district civil surgeons have been asked to ensure that all Covid hospitals have one nodal officer for fire safety, conduct of monthly fire safety audit and obtain no objection certificate from competent fire safety authorities.
“All the district civil surgeons will have to provide details about fire safety measures in place at Covid hospitals on June 12 during a review meeting to be held at Ranchi,” said state health department nodal officer Siddharth Tripathy.
Meanwhile, state surveillance officer Dr Rakesh Dayal was appointed nodal officer for monitoring of oxygen concentrators provided under PM Care fund for installation at health centres in Jharkhand.
Nodal officers were also appointed for biomedical equipment management and maintenance program.
The state health department also issued a circular citing the Union health ministry directive on rate fixation of vaccines for private hospitals.
“Private hospitals can charge a maximum of Rs 780 for Covishield vaccines and Rs 1410 for Covaxin vaccines as per the directive of Union health ministry,” said Siddharth Tripathy.
