India is ready for Covid-19 vaccine. While the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization is in process of reviewing different Covid-19 vaccines for emergency use approval, the state and Union Territory administrations are preparing for an imminent rollout. To ensure that phase 1 of Covid-19 vaccination drive goes glitch-free, all states and UTs across India will organise a dry run on Saturday.
The aim of the dry run is to test linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges. The dry run will also test Co-WIN application, developed specifically for Covid-19 vaccine drive, in a field environment.
Here’s all you need to know about nationwide Covid-19 vaccine dry run:
What is dry run?
Dry run is essentially a practice session where a sample number of beneficiaries will go through a mock immunisation process.
Who will participate in the dry run?
Apart from the staff of the designated vaccination centres, the dry run will see the participation of a select group of health care workers as test vaccine beneficiaries. Each centre will identify 25 test beneficiaries for the dry run.
Where will dry run be conducted?
The Saturday dry run will be conducted across all states and UTs. Each state/UT has been asked to conduct the dry run at minimum three session sites in their capitals. Some states will also include districts that are situated in difficult terrain/have poor logistical support.
Dry run centres announced by states:
Delhi: Venkateshwara Hospital in South West district; Daryaganj dispensary in Central district; and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Shahdara
Jharkhand: Ranchi, East Singhbhum, Chatra, Palamu and Pakur
Uttar Pradesh: Sahara Hospital, RML Hospital, King George’s Medical University and SGPGI as well one centre each in Mall block and Malihabad block in Lucknow
Jammu and Kashmir: UT administration has identified 9 hospitals in 3 districts Jammu, Srinagar and Kulgam
Gujarat: Dahod, Bhavnagar, Valsad and Anand districts
Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram, Idukki, Wayanad and Palakkad districts
Punjab: The state is conducting dry run in Patiala. Three identified sites are: Government Medical College; Sadhbhavna Hospital; and the Community Health Centre in Shatrana.
Haryana: Here the dry run will be held in three health care centres in Panchkula.
Karnataka: The dry run will be conducted at Kamakshipalya Urban PHC (West Zone), Vidyapeetha Urban Primary Health Centre (South Zone), and Hargade PHC in Anekal that comes under the Bangalore Urban district.
How will dry runs be conducted?
During the dry run, each designated vaccine centre will conduct the each and every step of the vaccine drive from registering test beneficiaries in Co-Win database to verifying their ID cards. The vaccinators will also follow the process of registration, verification, mock vaccination and post-vaccine observation.
What is purpose of dry run?
The dry run is a part of the government’s efforts to ensure effective preparedness for the Covid-19 vaccine roll-out. “The objective of the dry run for Covid-19 vaccine introduction is to assess operational feasibility in the use of Co-WIN application in a field environment, to test the linkages between planning and implementation and to identify the challenges and guide way forward prior to actual implementation. This is also expected to give confidence to programme managers at various levels,” the Union health ministry said earlier.
Dry run will help verify:
Usability of Co-WIN application: The states and UTs have been asked to ensure that the data of these beneficiaries is uploaded in Co-WIN. These beneficiaries will also be available at the session site for the dry run. The states and UTs shall prepare the facilities and users to be created on Co-WIN application including uploading the data of Health Care Worker (HCW) beneficiaries.
Proper logistics at vaccination centres: The states and UTs have been asked to ensure physical verification of all proposed sites for the adequacy of space, logistical arrangements, internet connectivity, electricity, safety, etc. and prepare at least three model session sites in each state (at state capital) for demonstration.
They have been asked to ensure that the model sites have separate entry and exit in a ‘three-room set-up’ with adequate space outside for awareness generation activities, display all IEC material at these sites and ensure that all SOPs and protocols are being practised at the identified sites in an ideal environment along with vaccination teams to be identified and trained in all aspects.
The dry run will also equip the state and UT administration in the management of vaccine supply, storage and logistics including cold chain management, the ministry stated.
Crisis management: An important focus of the dry run will be on management of any possible adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). In addition, adherence and management of infection control practices at the session site, to prevent disease transmission, the ministry said.
The mock drill will include concurrent monitoring and review at the block and district levels, and preparation of feedback. The State Task Force shall review the feedback and share with the Union Health Ministry.
States/UTs were also asked to address the communication challenges by taking in confidence all the stakeholders and by augmenting the community engagement through innovative strategies.
Detailed checklist has been prepared by the Union Health Ministry and shared with the states and UTs to guide them in the dry run.
The first round of the dry run was conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Punjab on 28-29 December in two districts each where five session sites with 25 beneficiaries each were identified.
No major issues were observed in the operational aspects during this dry run. All States expressed confidence in the operational guidelines and IT platform for large scale programme implementation, the ministry said.
Source: India Today
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