INDORE: State has topped in completing two doses inoculation of Covid-19 vaccines to prisoners lodged in jail till August 4, showed a reply of Union ministry of health and family welfare.
The ministry in its reply released a detailed report about first and second dose inoculation of prisoners in different states up to August 4.
Madhya Pradesh covered 2826 prisoners with two doses of vaccines, which was highest in the country, showed reply. The states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh followed in with 27,019, 10,141, 6247 and 8500 complete inoculation of prisoners respectively.
State Immunisation officer Dr Santosh Shukla said, “The state government on our request formed a special policy for such people who are highly vulnerable, high risk for getting infection of Covid-19.”
“Due to this we were amongst the few states to begin special camps for prisoners in jails across the state removing mandatory requirements of documents and other things in May”, said Dr Shukla.
“This ultimately helped in inoculating the maximum number of prisoners with two doses of vaccine. Later, the details were also shared with the government of India and a policy for inoculation of vendors, saints, and nomadic people on the same line were formed”, added Dr Shukla.
The idea of camp was based on a successful vaccine administration plan- wherein measles and rubella vaccines were injected to children of female prisoners across the state during a vaccination programme held around a couple of years back.
It was first implemented in the prison of Vidisha district of state, where Dr Shukla was posted then and later in the whole state, claimed Dr Shukla.
The state has till Saturday evening inoculated 3.76 crore vaccine doses to its adult population including 60.88 lakh being administered both the doses of vaccines.
The state required to inoculate around 11 crore doses to complete the two doses inoculation to its all 18 plus population in the mass drive.
