The state of Uttar Pradesh has buckled up to strategically create provisional vaccination centres across the territory in an attempt to accelerate the COVID inoculation drive here. Recently, the administration passed orders to convert Lucknow’s iconic Chota Imamabara and Eidgah into vaccination sites, for the same. Mega centres are also underway at the KD Singh Babu and Ekana Stadium in the capital to expedite the mass vaccination drive from June 1.
The latest to be added to this list of new vaccination centres, is the sugar mills in Western UP. As per reports, about 8 vaccination centres have come up in the sugar mills in Muzaffarnagar alone, for the benefit of local cane farmers.
Move to reach the local workers & cane farmers
Sugar mills in Western UP will help the administration reach out to the local workers and cane farmers. For instance, vaccine invitation will be extended to the farmers by means of an established SMS system, which is otherwise used to disseminate information during the crushing season. According to the Additional District Magistrate, “Sugar mills have contact details of each farmer and it helps to reach out to them for vaccination. We send SMSs and ask the farmer to come on a fixed date and time at the sugar mill concerned for vaccination.”
The set-up will boost the state’s communication and develop a system besides the CO-WIN portal to easily avail the vaccine shot. It will ease the vaccine procurement for many farmers and locals who are not tech-savvy. This will holistically boost the state’s vaccination programme against COVID-19.
In addition to this, the administration has started vaccination camps in villages. The Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Sadar area, Deepak Kumar said, “Not only vaccination but we are also conducting tests to detect Covid positive people in the rural area. The administration has also deployed vehicles to ferry the elderly to the vaccination centres.”
Vaccination for all!
Strategically selecting places and using them as vaccination centres will make sure that the vaccine reaches maximum people. Apart from choosing multiple locations within the city, the move is now being implemented in rural areas too. This initiative will not only make sure that the vaccine reaches everyone but will also eliminate the hassle of moving to nearby big cities, saving the rural people a lot of risk, time and resources.
