KOCHI: The mobile vaccination teams have played an active role in ensuring vaccination of street dwellers and those abandoned by families. They have been going around to palliative care centres and government homes which house abandoned persons.
Initially there was only one mobile vaccination team. Now four teams are actively organizing impromptu camps to ensure vaccination of those who have missed the jab against Covid-19. The team consists of doctors, nurses and junior health inspectors from the National Health Mission (NHM) led by junior health inspector N M Rajesh, who coordinates their activities.
As the district has almost completed the first dose vaccination of the entire population, these teams have ensured that not many are missed. The team has been formed jointly with members from the health department, district administration and NHM. They were instrumental in locating and vaccinating people in the district who were not part of any group.
They also assisted in outreach vaccination through primary health centres in the initial stages of the vaccination programme. According to officials, the team also assisted in vaccination and testing camps at Chellanam. They also played a crucial role in increasing the testing rate in the district.
Testing camps were also organized by them as required by the health centres. The mobile team went to the old age homes to attend to the residents who were confirmed Covid positive. They conducted home visits at regular intervals, carried out tests and ensured treatment in collaboration with health centres. The mobile unit was also successful in aiding and training staff during the initial stage functioning of Covid first-line treatment centres (CFLTCs).
