Title : Best practices and challenges of COVID-19 vaccination. An experience from a tertiary care centre in India
Abstract:
Best Practice is defined as, “An intervention that has shown evidence of effectiveness in a particular setting and is likely to be replicable to other situations.” India launched its nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16th January 2021, & Himachal Pradesh (HP), initiated the drive simultaneously. COVID-19 Vaccination centre of I.G. Medical college Shimla is continuously administering the vaccines to the beneficiaries to date. The centre had worked on the principle of ‘Zero tolerance’ to the dose wastage. More than 2500 ‘wastage’ doses of COVISHIELD were utilised saving more than 5 lakh INR (6131 USD ) notionally at our centre. Most advanced AEFI management centre was established at the centre with continuous availability of an anaesthetist for any severe AEFI on all sessions. More than 100 high risk beneficiaries were vaccinated at the centre from across the regions of the state. During peak rush hour sessions, the centre was able to vaccinate beneficiaries in least possible waiting time (10 Beneficiaries in 10 min). Dedicated staff at the centre supported community members by booking online slots also. Our Centre had administered 41,297 vaccine doses with nil wastage encompassing 560 sessions utilising 3879 (10-dose) vials till 30th November, 2022.
