DC Leh reviews ongoing Covid vaccination drive in Leh district.

Leh: Deputy Commissioner, Leh/CEO, LAHDC Leh, Shrikant Balasaheb Suse convened a meeting on the ongoing COVID vaccination drive in Leh district at the DC Conference Hall today. The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Sonam Chosjor; Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Leh, Dr Motup Dorje; Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Leh, Dr Manzoor ul Haq; Medical Superintendent, SNM Hospital, Leh, Dr Norzin Angmo; officials from government offices, Police and heads of religious bodies.

Speaking on the occasion, CMO Leh Dr Dorje informed that the Health Department has achieved a target of 61.45% coverage of the total healthcare officials registered for the Covid vaccine.

Deputy CMO, while giving a presentation on Covid Vaccination Plan for media, spoke about disseminating information on the new Covid-19 vaccine, vaccine eagerness, vaccine hesitancy and Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB). He shared their plan to engage all media platforms and use the power of media to influence people, prioritise the section of the population chosen to receive the first dose of Covid vaccine, emphasis on vaccine hesitancy and overcoming mistrust among people on Covid vaccine. Deputy CMO shared that the media could play a pivotal role in building trust, managing misinformation and rumours, and verifying and assessing fake news.

ADC Leh Sonam Chosjor informed that the religious heads and the Block Development Council (BDC) in different parts of Leh district could play crucial roles in addressing the concerns of people on vaccination hesitancy, and also help in avoiding duplicity of information during the registration of the names for the Covid vaccine.

DC Leh Balasaheb Suse said there should be a control room with a helpline number dedicated to Covid vaccination drive to clear the concerns of the people before and after the Covid vaccination. He added that block-level committees headed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) should encourage volunteers to come forward. He also directed concerned officials to prepare action plans for the smooth conduct of the Covid vaccination drive.