Odisha forms panels to track adverse events in Covid-19 vaccine programme

Bhubaneswar, Dec 5 (IANS) The Odisha government has formed committees to track possible adverse events following immunisation of Covid-19 vaccine, said an official on Saturday.

The government has formed state-level and district-level committees to track possible adverse events following immunisation.

A 21-member state-level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of family welfare director while the district-level committees are formed under the chairmanship of chief district medical and public health officers.

"Preparations are underway for conducting Covid-9 vaccination in states and districts, starting with certain priority groups. In connection with this, steps need to be taken to strengthen Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) surveillance following Covid-19 vaccination to maintain confidence in the safety of vaccine," said a notification of the health department.

Notably, the Odisha Government has prepared a database of nearly 3.2 lakh health and frontline workers, who would be given COVID-19 vaccine on a priority basis.

The database of the first priority group composed of health care workers (from both the government and private health facilities) and frontline workers under integrated child development scheme.

A state steering committee has also been constituted under the chairmanship of the chief secretary and a state task force committee has been formed under the additional chief secretary (health) for the Covid-19 vaccination.

--IANS

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