Reza Mahmud :
Khalid Hossain, a senior journalist registered his name through online and waited for together, a Covid-19 vaccine for days but no SMS reached him although his wife got the message even registering after him.
“I am really in tension that my wife got vaccinated though she registered after me at the same immunization center,” said Khalid Hossain.
Similarly, many jab seekers alleged that across the country they have not gotten any SMS after waiting for more than a week.
However prominent senior citizens alleged that some of them got the message with the date of vaccination, but many of them failed.
“Even, many of our colleagues who registered by website later than us gotten jabs as per their mobile messaging but we are waiting with uncertainty,” said Ahmed Chowdhury, a lawyer in Dhaka.
He and others who are waiting days after online registration said, they are suffering acute due to the government’s decision of closing the on the spot registration system.
“If the online registration method is functional, we will get the jab easily,” said another senior citizen asking the government to open the system again.
They are worried about failing to get the jabs finally as the huge numbers of people are now on rush to centers.
Besides, the health officials said that on the spot
registration system were hampering immunization process severely. As a result the government suspended it.
“Inoculation seekers are on rise. Our employees and volunteers are getting very busy to provide service regarding vaccination,” Professor Dr Faruk Ahmed, Director of Sheikh Russell Gastro Liver Institute and Hospital, said.
The Professor also suggested all of those people alleged not getting SMS, to wait passionately as it is a technical matter and will come in time.
Professor Dr. Burhan Uddin Hawlader, Director of Dhaka Dental College vaccination center, said, “Every centers has a limitation of immunization. Our center has 10,000 jabs limitation and has passed earlier.”
On the other hand, the health secretary said that the government is considering enacting the system again to assist elderly people and those who are unable to use technology.
Besides, the health officials said also that the SMS sending system is not in their hands. It is running from the ICT Department.
“It is ICT Department which is looking after the online registrations,” Professor Dr. Nasima Sultana, Additional Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) told The New Nation.
She said that everything about these technical sides is relying up to them.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday said that people who failed to get SMS for long after registration have not to be worried for late.
“The SMS will be sent as per the daily capabilities of the vaccination centers,” the health minister said.
He said which centers have been over loaded would not get more registrations.
He said there is no shortages of vaccines, which centers needed more jabs, we will send there.
