A mega vaccination drive was held on Sunday at Hitex, Hyderabad. Concerned about the spike in cases in the past 60 to 70 days that caused loss of lives, Medicover Hospitals, in association with the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate & The Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC), planned this initiative to combat Covid-19.

The place was filled with people looking to get vaccinated since 8 a.m. when the drive began and it was slated to continue till 9 p.m. With over 500 counters for no waiting, different time slots were allocated all through the day.

Nursing stations for lactating mothers, emergency ward with 5 beds in each hangar and tea, coffee and biscuits were provided for guests who come for the vaccination.

The objective of this drive was to inoculate the maximum number of people in the tri-city. This drive was being held in the safest environment strictly observing Covid appropriate behaviour and protocols. This would not only set a trend but motivate more people to organise such drives to vaccinate the maximum population in the least possible time to fight impending waves, if any.

While many are flocking to vaccine centres, because of the increased awareness due to the second wave, still a large section of people are hesitating to get the vaccine jab. This drive will also motivate those who are still in dilemma. Camps like this will send a strong message and will also give them confidence that it is safe to take the vaccine.

All necessary arrangements are made to follow strict protocols to ensure proper hygiene and safety of the participants.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner V.C.Sajjanar said: “It is important to take all steps to prevent the surge of the pandemic. This vaccination drive will help us to control the surge as well as prevent the possible third wave.”

SCSC General Secretary Krishna Yedula said: “We are very happy to be associated with this drive as we believe vaccination is the only solution under the current circumstances. We hope maximum people take benefit out of this drive.”

Medicover Group of Hospitals India Executive Director Hari Krishna said: “Vaccination has proven to be effective in combating the pandemic in many countries. Since we are hugely populated, it is necessary to conduct such mass vaccination drives to cover the maximum population.”

Cyberabad Police, and the SCSC are known for many mega drives like this.

Among the dignitaries who attended the vaccination drive were Director of Public Health, Dr G. Srinivas Rao, Sajjanar, Director of Medical and Health, Dr Swarajya Lakshmi directorate of Medical and Health, Sherlingampally MLA Arekapudi Gandhi, Medicoover Hospitals India Chairman and Managing Director Dr Anil Krishna, Director, Clinical Services, Dr Sharat Reddy, Director, Dr Krishna Prasad, Hari Krishna, Telangana superspeciality hospital Secretary Govinda Hari, DCP, Madhapur, Venkateswarlu, Medicover Hospitals Chief Business Officer Mahesh Degloorkar, and Vice President Neeraj Lal.

The Telangana government will roll out Covid-19 vaccination from June 5 for students going abroad for higher education.

A separate facility for vaccination of students going abroad for higher education is proposed to be launched in the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM), Narayanguda, Hyderabad.

An online slot booking system for the convenience of these students is being developed and will be rolled out on June 4. Link for this facility will be made available at https://www.health.telangana.gov.in Vaccination will commence and slots will be available from June 5.

The state cabinet, at its meeting on May 31, had decided to start vaccinating students going abroad for the higher studies.

It was announced that these students will be vaccinated on a priority based on their admission letters.

Yocket, India’s largest platform for study abroad aspirants, has welcomed the decision by the Telangana government to vaccinate students going abroad for higher studies.

Co-founder and Higher Education Expert, Sumeet Jain, said that this is a welcome step. “This move will bring in a lot of positivity among the students that the people in power do care about them. This is a welcome move and it will give a lot of students to travel with confidence,” he said.

GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) on Tuesday handled largest shipment of Russian made Sputnik V vaccines.

The vaccine consignment arrived from Russia on a specially chartered freighter RU-9450 which touched down Hyderabad Airport at 03.43 hours.

While GHAC has already handled several import shipments of vaccines prior to this, Tuesday’s shipment of 56.6 tonnes of vaccines is the single largest import shipment of Covid-19 vaccines handled in India till date. This shipment completed all processes and was dispatched in less than 90 minutes, GHAC said.

The Sputnik V vaccine requires specialised handling and storage, requiring to be kept at a temperature of -20o C. GHAC has been working closely with the experts from the customer’s supply chain team, officials from customs department and other relevant stakeholders over an extended period of time to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and handling processes are fully in place at the Air Cargo Terminal for smooth handling of the vaccine shipments.

With the smooth handling of this large vaccine import consignment, GHAC has further cemented its position as the largest vaccine import hub for India.

Major pharma companies based in and around Hyderabad are expected to produce or import over 3.5 billion doses of different varieties of Covid vaccines over the next couple of years and GHAC has been gearing up on all fronts to handle the surge in vaccine shipments.

Key elements of the temperature controlled infrastructure at GHAC are all being expanded in terms of both capacities as well as capabilities. Among other measures, GHAC has expanded the capacity of ‘Pharma Zone’, which is India’s first dedicated pharma cargo export terminal and introduced a unique temperature-controlled ‘Cool Dolly’ to safely transport shipments from terminal to the aircraft.

Together, these initiatives enable GHAC to offer an unparalleled and truly unbroken cold chain for vaccines and pharmaceuticals from truck offloading point till aircraft loading, it said.

GHAC has also convened a special task force comprising of Customs authorities, airlines, freight forwarders and other stakeholders to ensure priority handling and speedy clearances for vaccines and other Covid relief materials such as medicines, oxygen concentrators etc.

Top officials of the Telangana government on Tuesday discussed preventive measures for a possible third wave of Covid-19.

Finance Minister T.Harish Rao, who is looking after Medical and Health Department related matters on behalf of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held a meeting at State Secretariat.

This comes a day after the state cabinet directed the officials concerned to be alert in view of reports that there is a possibility of a third wave, and asked them to prepare proper action plan.

Harish Rao reviewed with the officials the procurement of medical equipment, oxygen supply and storage units.

The meeting decided that all drivers of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation, auto-rickshaw and cab drivers will be provided Covid-19 vaccines from June 3 across the state.

Every day, 10,000 drivers will be vaccinated in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area and other district headquarters. The minister has also reviewed the stock availability of vaccine and allotment of vaccine quota by the Centre, and instructed the officials concerned to pursue and make efforts with the Centre on more allocation of vaccine doses to the state.

Special Chief Secretary, Transport, Roads and Buildings Sunil Sharma, Principal Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications Jayesh Ranjan, Health Secretary S.A.M. Rizvi, Transport Commissioner M.R.M. Rao, Director, Medical Education, Dr Ramesh Reddy, Director, Public Health, Dr Srinivas Rao, and other officials attended the meeting.

Covid-19 vaccination for high risk groups in Telangana was underway in full swing for the third consecutive day on Sunday.

Beneficiaries identified under the category, also known as ‘super spreaders’, lined up at vaccination centres across the state to take the jab.

Under the special drive, the state health authorities plan to cover 7.78 lakh people. Auto rickshaw and cab drivers, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees, those working in Rythu bazars, grocery shops, wine shops, as street vendors, or in salon shops, laundry service, pan shops and vegetable, fruits, flowers, chicken, meat, and fish markets are being vaccinated under the special drive.

During the last two days, the health authorities vaccinated more than 2.12 lakh people. They included about 50,000 of 45 and above years who received their second dose.

According to Director, Public Health and Family Welfare Dr G. Srinivasa Rao, 1,10,562 people were vaccinated on Saturday. They included 28,382 who received their second jab.

With this, the state has so far administered 59.89 lakh doses. The vaccination is being carried out at 1,069 centres across the state.

Srinivasa Rao said the she state has initiated Covid vaccination for the age group of 18 to 44 years with special drives in all the districts targeting the high risk/vulnerable groups at designated Covid vaccination centres and also permitted private CVCs to vaccinate for 18-44 age group.

On Saturday, 63,364 people in 18-44 age group were vaccinated. Of them 55,247 received the jab in government vaccination centers and remaining 8,117 in private hospitals.

The state has so far vaccinated 1.22 lakh people in 18-44 age group. The special vaccination drive will continue for a week.

The Telangana Information Technology Association (TITA) and the American Telangana Society (ATS) have come together to launch health services to help patients battling Covid-19 in rural areas in the state.

Both the organisations on Friday announced their plan of action to deal with the raging pandemic through the TITA’s TConsult initiative that helped the masses during the first wave of Covid deal with various health issues.

The TITA and the ATS have launched joint efforts by establishing the first-ever Covid Dawakhana at the Zilla Parishad High School in Maganur.

Principal Secretary, IT and Industry, Jayesh Ranjan launched the first Covid Dawakhana virtually on Friday. Narayanpet District Collector Dasari Harichandana appreciated the initiative launched by TITA global President Sundeep Kumar Makthala.

The TITA plans to expand services across the state in the coming days. At the launch of the services, villagers availed online medical advice on Covid from doctors at nine sub-centres.

Worried at the pandemic affecting people in rural areas, the ATS decided to provide online health and medical services to the masses. Representatives from the ATS approached the TITA to reach out to the people to provide health services. Makthala, after visiting various places, selected Maganur to provide online medical and health services to people.

Maganur has a population of 56,000 with nine sub-centres. The district hospital is 42 km away from the village. The Zilla Parishad High School (ZPHS) was converted into Covid Dawakhana to treat better medical services to the locals.

At the medical centre, patients can avail doctors’ services through online consultation. For this, TConsult app services, an initiative of TITA, is being utilised, while ATS will provide financial and health services.

Two doctors will be available online to offer services, while two health volunteers will be available at the Covid Dawakhana. The TITA has offered to provide technical and other local logistics and arrangements at the medical centre.

Representatives of the American Telangana Society, its Chairman Karunakar Madhavaram, President Narendar Chemarla, Covid Dawakhana programme advisor Dr Dilip Berelli, former president Satyanarayana Reddy Kandimalla, General Secretary Venkat Mantena and other executive members were at the forefront in implementing the initiative.