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Vaccination: Senior doctors lead from the front in Hyderabad

Get vaccinated against Covid despite having pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension

By M. Sai Gopal

Published Date - 17 January 2021, 12:17 AM

Vaccination: Senior doctors lead from the front in Hyderabad — MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao interacting with healthcare workers at UPHC Govt Hospital in Tilak Nagar. — Photo: Surya Sridhar

Hyderabad: Superintendents of all major teaching hospitals in Hyderabad led from the front in building confidence among healthcare workers and general public on Covid-19 vaccines.

Almost all the heads and senior faculty members of teaching hospitals in Hyderabad and even in the districts, including Director of Medical Education (DME) Dr K Ramesh Reddy, were amongst the first on Saturday to receive the vaccine.

“Some of the senior-most doctors who got inoculated today have pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes and hypertension. However, they did not back out. It is a confidence building exercise for healthcare workers and general public. We were pretty clear from the beginning that all efforts will be made to drive home the message that the vaccine is safe. That’s why, all seniors got vaccinated and we decided to take-it up,” said Dr K Ramesh Reddy.

Superintendents of Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, Chest Hospital, Fever Hospital, senior faculty members from ENT Government Hospital in King Koti and Director of Government Medical College, Mahabubnagar, Dr Putta Srinivas were among the senior-most doctors who were inoculated with the Covid vaccine.

Almost all of them pointed out that the vaccine should be able to break the transmission chains of coronavirus. “There is a definite need for healthcare workers to participate in the vaccination drive and build confidence over the mass inoculation programme among general public. I personally feel that this is the way to break the transmission chains and also prevent the new Covid strain from spreading,” said Superintendent of Fever Hospital and Director of IPM Dr K Shankar.

Covishield rolled out on day 1

On the first day of the Covid vaccine drive, health authorities administered Covishield vaccine of Serum Institute of India for the healthcare workers in Telangana. Before Covaxin of Bharat Biotech is rolled out, the Health Department has to collect special consent forms and follow strict protocols, which have been provided by the manufacturer.

The health authorities will take up screening and ensure healthcare workers sign the consent form before getting Covaxin administered. “Since healthcare workers are well informed, they need to self-monitor their health status for a specified period of time after receiving Covaxin. In case of adverse events, they must report to the authorities,” senior health officials said.

In the consent form, the risks of taking the vaccine will be clearly mentioned. “In case of adverse events or serious adverse events, you will be provided medically recognised standard of care in the government designated and authorised centres. The compensation for serious adverse events will be paid by sponsor if the adverse event is proven to be causally related to the vaccine,” the screening and consent form for Covaxin said.