Over 17 million people, 50 % of the target group, will be vaccinated by the end of December 2021, MoH Union minister says

Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win made an inspection tour at the Pyu Township Public Hospital in Bago Region and encouraged the health workers on duty on 28 November.
During the meeting with health workers, the Union minister said as the third wave of COVID-19 is under control to an extent and preparations for the next wave should be made on the experience gained, adding COVID-19 outbreak surveillance is strengthening to prevent the new COVID-19 variant enter from the borders or air travels.
RT-PCR equipment has been set up in border towns such as Muse, Kengtung, Lashio, Myawady and plans are underway to set up them in Dawei and Kalay. In case of an abnormal mass outbreak, the COVID-19 Gene Sequencing Screening is being carried out by the Ministry, Defence Services Medical Research Unit and Medical Research Department, he said.
The purpose of the visit is to provide the necessary facilities for the systematic preparation of the Specialized Treatment Unit for COVID-19 patients and the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit in public hospitals, he continued.
Regarding the COVID-19 vaccination, more than 17 million people which is 50 per cent of the target group over the age of 18 are estimated to be vaccinated at least once by the end of December 2021. At present, 16.3 million people have been vaccinated once and the target will soon be achieved, the Union minister said. Of them, 11.5 million have been vaccinated twice and 4.8 million have been vaccinated once.
The Union minister coordinated the needs for basic health workers such as assistant health officers and midwives in carrying out the vaccination in villages to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks and expand vaccine clusters to rural health centres and villages to reduce the incidence and severity of cases.
In the afternoon, the Union minister visited the Toungoo Township Public Hospital and inspected the COVID-19 intensive care unit, installation of ventilators according to the COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan, laboratory, X-ray room, operation room, and installation of oxygen plants. He instructed officials to ensure that there is no shortage of laboratory equipment and reagents and to separate ICUs for COVID-19 and ordinary patients.
He said the Ministry of Health has arranged to provide a monthly stipend to COVID-19 health workers, food allowance for night shift staff, and allowances for postgraduate students, and efforts are being made to provide risk allowance to radiology/laboratory health workers.
He also instructed officials to arrange oxygen in line with the need for oxygen, to install oxygen pipelines, to stock necessary medicines and antibiotics.
He also coordinated the presentation of the specialists, nurses and basic health workers and provided honorary cash awards.
The Union minister also visited the Nursing and Midwifery Training School in Toungoo and instructed officials to provide food, accommodation and security for the trainees, to be equipped with modern teaching aids and to do arrangements for them to enter the workplace after completing the trainees. They were also asked to assist in the public health service on one hand. — MNA