PANJIM: Over 1,200 Indian Medical Association (IMA) Goa unit doctors and their associated health workers have threatened to withdraw from the ongoing vaccination drive if the government fails to upload the names of their workers on the Co-Win portal for the immunisation programme.
The IMA members on Tuesday met with State officials, including District Collectors and Directorate of Health Services (DHS), during which the authorities claimed that following directions from the Central government, the process of uploading names has been frozen for the State.
So far, over 4000 health workers have been administered the vaccine under the first phase of vaccination drive since January 16. The State has to achieve its overall target of 19,100 workers by February 12.
Sources in DHS said that IMA Goa unit is upset with the fact that nearly 1,200 to 1,500 of their health workers are yet to be registered for the immunization programme. “The Collector says that the registration process for the State has been frozen following directions from the Centre. However, DHS and Collector have no circular to show in this regard,” sources said.
“IMA has decided to withdraw from the vaccination drive if their workers are not registered for administering vaccine,” sources added. IMA is likely to take a final call on Wednesday in this regard.
North Goa Collector Ajit Roy, when contacted, refused to comment on the issue, while Health Services Director Dr Jose D’Sa was unavailable for comment.
There are nearly 8,000 private doctors and health workers, including those of the IMA involved in the vaccination drive. However, so far just 1,500 of these have been vaccinated.
Earlier, on Monday the government had warned to discontinue the supply of COVID-19 vaccines to private hospitals following complaints that there were non-health workers, who had been administered the vaccine.
