The Indian Medical Association, Bihar Chapter (IMA) has claimed that around 40% of the doctors and paramedics in the state are still to be administered the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. They urged the health department to reopen the Co-WIN portal to get themselves registered.

On Thursday, a meeting was held in this regard under the chairmanship of IMA-Bihar president Dr Amar Kant Jha. Dr Sahajan and Prasad Singh, the association’s national president was present too on the occasion.

While discussing the coronavirus scenario, Dr Amar claimed that approximately 30,000 doctors and healthcare workers of different private hospitals, diagnostic centres and pathological laboratories did not get to register themselves for the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccines. Many of the doctors are not techno-savvy and so are not familiar with the online registration process. 

Dr Amar has urged the government to bring in simpler methods such as on-spot registration by using identity cards that are issued by the IMA, or registration numbers by the Medical Council of India or certificates given by the heads of nursing homes.

IMA-Bihar secretary Dr Sunil Kumar said that healthcare workers from Khagaria, Begusarai, Gopalganj, Motihari, Madhubani and rural areas in Patna have urged them to get the Co-WIN portal reopened for fresh registrations.

The IMA members have also demanded a government job on compassionate grounds for dental graduate Minakshi whose husband Dr Avinash Kumar, who was a medical officer at the Dalsinghsarai sub divisional hospital and had died due to COVID-19.The coronavirus infection has claimed the lives of almost 42 doctors in the state till now.

Source: The Times of India