Bihar Rolling Out ‘Gift For Jab’ Scheme To Achieve Complete Vaccination

Bihar has rolled out an attractive scheme to achieve complete vaccination coverage. A host of goodies will be offered to all those who take their second dose of vaccines within seven days of the due date.

The state government has announced that all those who take the second dose within a week of the due date of the dose will be eligible for a lucky draw. LED television sets, refrigerators, mixer-grinders, cooking gas stoves, ceiling fans, blankets, utensils and a lot more can be won through this lucky draw.

State Health Minister Mangal Pandey said that this scheme will be open from 27 November till 31 December. The lucky draw will be held in every administrative block of the state once a week.

One main prize and ten consolation prizes will be given out to the eligible people in each block every week till the end of the year. Thus, 2670 people will receive bumper prizes and 26,700 people will receive consolation prizes all over the state.

A bumper draw will also be held at the district level every fortnight, said Pandey. He said that the scheme has been rolled out to get people to get their second dose of vaccines.

Bihar has lagged behind in the second dose vaccination coverage. Till early Friday (26 November) morning, 53,475,379 people in Bihar had received their first dose, while only 24,549,197 had received their second dose. Bihar wants to fully vaccinate most of its eligible adult population by the end of the year.

Health Minister Pandey said the ‘gift for jab’ scheme was inspired by a similar incentive initiated by a Municipal Councillor of Katihar, Manzoor Khan. At a special camp organised in his ward on 26 June, he had offered a lucky draw for all those taking the vaccine. A host of goodies, including 24-inch LED television sets, pedestal fans, bicycles, wall clocks and utility items, were offered.

The scheme worked and more than 800 people turned up at the special vaccination camp, setting a record for the state.