Sindh cobbles together vaccination plans

Another 1,903 cases detected, 33 more fatalities recorded

KARACHI:

Sindh, the province with the highest coronavirus death toll in the country, is making swift progress in its strategy for immunisation against the contagion.

Following up from Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho's letter to the Centre earlier this week, the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) for Polio Eradication and Immunisation Programme informed all additional deputy commissioners (ADCs) on Friday of a four-phase vaccine disbursement plan.

Frontline healthcare workers will be administered the vaccine in the first phase, followed by senior citizens - over the age of 60 years - in the second phase. In the third phase, immuno-compromised citizens and those with comorbidities will be administered the vaccine and then in the final phase the immunisation process of the general public will begin.

In its letter issued to the ADCs, the EOC also informed of its decision to provide separate spaces for Covid-19 vaccine officials in all district headquarter hospitals.

Besides, the letter stated, the ADC of each district, who is already the focal person for the polio vaccine, will be the focal person for the coronavirus vaccine. The EOC directed all ADCs to coordinate with district health officials and heads of all tertiary care hospitals to begin fleshing out further details of the vaccine disbursement plan.

Increased testing

Meanwhile, another 1,903 cases were reported on Friday following tests of 20,681 samples - the highest ever conducted - raising the provincial tally of infected individuals to 202,983, according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's House on the day.

The death toll from coronavirus infections has soared to 3,302 in the province with 32 more patients dying of the virus overnight, said CM Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The CM said that 1,903 persons were diagnosed from the 20,681 samples tested, which indicated a 9.2 per cent positivity rate. Sharing further data, he said that so far 2,212,034 samples have been tested in Sindh against which 202,983 cases have been detected. Of the diagnosed cases, 88 per cent or 178,886 patients have recovered, including 839 overnight.

The CM said that there are currently 20,815 active cases in the province. Of these, 19,970 patients are in home isolation, 14 are at isolation centres and 831 are in different hospitals.

He added the condition of 734 patients is stated to be critical with at least 71 persons shifted to ventilators.

Shah urged people across the province to follow the SOPS.

According to the statement, of the 1,903 new cases reported, 1,629 were detected in Karachi, including 958 belonging to East district, 262 to South district, 151 to Korangi, 148 to Central district, 63 to West district and 47 to Malir. On the other hand, 32 cases had emerged in Hyderabad, 28 in Kumbhar, 24 each in Shaheed Benazirabad and Badin, 21 in Sujawal, 18 in Jamshoro, 16 in Dadu, 11 in Tando Muhammad Khan, 10 each in Khairpur and Thatta, nine in Tando Allahyar, eight each in Ghotki and Matiari, seven in Mirpurkhas, five each in Naushehro Feroze and Shikarpur, three each in Umerkot and Jacobabad, two in Kashmore, and one in Sukkur.

Combined efforts

Earlier this week, in a letter addressed to the special assistant to the prime minister on national health services, regulations and coordination, Dr Pechuho had said that Covid-19 vaccines are expected to arrive in the country by March next year and the provincial government has started identifying human resources needed for carrying out vaccination.

The provincial health department will also identify fixed sites for vaccination and "engage private partners for support in the implementation of the plan," she had stated.

Further seeking the federal government's assistance, the Sindh health department has asked the Centre to extend help for establishing a cold storage with cold chain maintenance.

It has also sought the Centre's help for logistics, setting up a database of vaccinated citizens and protocols for vaccination.