Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said vaccination will start from 161 centres. (File)
The COVID-19 vaccination drive in Gujarat will start for healthcare workers from 161 centres when the nationwide inoculation campaign begins on January 16, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to launch the nationwide vaccination campaign against coronavirus on Saturday, is expected to interact with some of the beneficiaries at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital (one of the sites) virtually from New Delhi, said officials.
"Vaccination against coronavirus will start from 161 centres in Gujarat when the nationwide drive is launched by the Prime Minister on Saturday," Mr Rupani said during a function in Jamnagar.
For the first phase, the Gujarat Health Department has identified 4.31 lakh healthcare workers such as doctors and nurses for inoculation, said state Immunisation Officer Dr Nayan Jani.
After healthcare professionals, 6.93 lakh frontline workers such as police personnel, 1.05 crore citizens above the age of 50 and 2.75 lakh people under 50 but with comorbidities will be covered under the drive, Mr Jani added.
"We will administer vaccines to 100 health workers per centre every day. Beneficiaries will get an SMS through CoWIN application about address of the centre and other instructions," said Dr Jani.
CoWIN is an online platform for monitoring COVID-19 vaccine delivery and will act as the foundation for the anti-coronavirus inoculation drive.
The Immunisation Officer said around 15,000 vaccinators have been trained by the Health Department and the entire administration is fully prepared for the drive in Gujarat.
"While ministers will remain present at some of the designated 161 centres across the state, (Vijay) Rupani and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel will be at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital (on the first day of the drive)," said Dr Jani.
"PM Modi, through video conference, may interact with healthcare workers who will get the vaccine at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. This hospital has been designated for PM's interaction with beneficiaries tomorrow," the official said.