People of Rajshahi are lagging far behind in accessing to the Corona virus vaccines. Though the number of daily infections and the number of deaths by being attacked with Corona virus are the highest in this frontier district, no emergency step has so far been taken from any quarter to vaccinate the people of the district.
It is learnt, on June 29 and July 1, the total death toll in Corona was 25 and 22 respectively at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. The death toll in other days is also more or less the same. None of those dead patients and the patients admitted at the hospitals of the district has any access to Corona virus vaccines.
More than 70 percent of the patients admitted at the Corona unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital are from rural areas. Unawareness about maintaining health rules and no availability of vaccines are the causes of an excessive number of Corona virus deaths and infection in the district.
Prioritizing the maintenance of the health rules, enforcement of a strict lockdown and ensuring mass vaccination, health experts in Rajshahi said if the maximum number of people is not brought under mass-vaccination programme soon, the situation of Corona virus spread and the death toll in the district would go beyond the control.
The number of patients at the Corona unit of RMCH is increasing day by day- surpassing the previous records. RMCH has a capacity of 1,250 beds with some 550 man-power to operate the hospital. Still, considering the need, 13 wards of the hospital among 57 general wards have been turned to the Corona unit. On June-27, the ward-14 with 48 beds has been turned to the Corona ward by connecting it with the central Oxygen supply line. At present, the total number of Corona dedicated beds at the hospital is 405. Still, on Thursday, 462 patients were admitted at the Corona unit of the hospital as against the total 405 beds.
Now, RMCH authorities are acting to connect central Oxygen line system in ward-4 with 45 beds. This ward will be the last addition to the Corona unit to treat the patients infected with Corona virus. it is not possible to extend further the number of wards of the Corona unit, the sources added.
At present, none of patients except patients suffering from heart disease, kidney disease and the emergency delivery patients are being admitted to RMCH. Patients with other diseases are being released after treatment. Now, 252 doctors, 580 nursed and 152 medical workers are engaged in fighting in treating and taking care of the Corona virus patients at the Corona unit of the hospital.
RMCH sources informed, during the first wave of Corona virus last year, 120 doctors, 267 nurses and 101 medical workers were infected with Corona virus. Now, after taking two dosages of vaccinations so far three doctors, 57 nurses and six medical workers have been infected with the Corona virus. The infection indicates that those who took the vaccines are unlikely or in a limited scale attacked with Corona virus and the rate of death among those vaccine recipients is negligible. None of the vaccine recipients Corona patients were required to be admitted to the hospital or the Oxygen support.
RMCH Director Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani said the rate of infection in Corona virus is far less among those who took the vaccines. No one of them has so far reported dead.
Meanwhile, the Corona virus vaccine of Oxford-Austrgenca arrived in Bangladesh from the Serum Institute of India aftermath of the first wave of Corona infection. Despite being a divisional town and even after situated with frontier with India, the sanction of vaccines for the people of Rajshahi was the lowest in number. As a result, people of Rajshahi are now bearing the brunt of the second wave of Indian Delta variants.
Rajshahi Civil Surgeon Office sources informed, at the first phase, 180,000 dosages of vaccines of Oxford-Austragenca of Serum Institute of India arrived in Rajsahi of which 133,774 people received the dosages ( first dosage) while only 81, 640 people received the second dosages of the vaccines. Afterwards, nearly 52,134 people were not supplied the second dosages of the vaccines even after they were administered with the first dosages. Under such situation, the mass-vaccination programme for Covid-19 was suspended from May-19 this year. The rate of percentage of vaccine recipients in the district is only 2,73 percent.
Dr, Quium Takuder, Civil Surgeon of Rajshahi informed, the rests of the vaccines of the Oxford-Austragenca of the Serum Institute have not yet been received, As a result, it was not possible to administer the second dosages of the vaccine to those who took the first dosages.
However, the second phase of vaccination programme has started in Rajshahi from June-19. Only 31,200 dosages of vaccines made in China have been supplied for Rajshahi as gift. These vaccines are being given among the Medical students and some other important personalities under priority basis.
