Odisha begins COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women with ASHA, Anganwadi workers' help

On July 16, Odisha began vaccination of pregnant women against COVID-19. There was an on-the-spot registration process, which was facilitated by ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Special arrangements like waiting rooms were made for pregnant women and post administration of the vaccine, the women were observed for a minimum of 30 minutes.

COVID vaccination administered to pregnant women in Odisha with help of ASHA and Anganwadi workers

Dr. Bijay Panigrahi, director of family welfare and vaccination in charge, said, "In Odisha, the total no of pregnancies registered per year is around 9 lakh. So at any point in time, we expect 50% of total registered pregnant women, that is, around 4.5 lakh to be due for COVID-19 vaccination."

He added, "We have given direction to district authorities that front-line workers will give counseling to these women regarding the benefits of the COVID vaccine."

The Odisha Woman and Child Development Department tweeted, 'timely immunization saves many lives and is widely recognized as one of the most successful health interventions.' They also appreciated their field functionaries for effectively rendering the immensely important service under ICDS in convergence with the Health & Family Welfare Department, Government of Odisha. 

Role of ASHA and Anganwadi workers during the pandemic

The Chief Minister Office, Odisha recently put up a tweet saying, 'ASHA and Anganwadi workers across the State have contributed immensely to #Odisha's fight against #COVID19 pandemic. Their relentless hard work in spreading awareness & conducting surveys has kept a huge population safe from the deadly virus. #OdishaCares.'

The Accredited Social Health Activist  (ASHA) program was launched by the National Health Mission (NHM) for community building with social workers. The ASHAs are primarily female residents of the village, usually in the age group of 25 to 45 years. They are the first port of call for health-related demands of deprived sections of the population, especially women and children, who find it difficult to access health services. The Anganwadi program was started as a part of the Integrated Child Development Services program. It is run by The Ministry of Woman and Child Development Department, Odisha. 

(IMAGE: PTI/UNSPLASH)