HYDERABAD: A 50-year-old anganwadi teacher from Mancherial district, who was recently given COVID-19 vaccine passed away while undergoing treatment in Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences on Saturday. As per the Telangana health department officials, they said her death was not related to the vaccination side effect.

A senior official said that Susheela who hailed fromKasipet mandal in Mancherial was inoculated on January 19 and was a chronic patient of high blood pressure and also had lung ailment. She was first shifted to a private hospital there and was immediately shifted to NIMS in Hyderabad two days ago after her condition deteriorated.

''We believe her death is not due to the vaccination," Mancherial District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr M Neeraja said.

Meanwhile, Telangana Health Minister E Rajender said the state government would set up a mechanism to counsel and instill confidence among those health workers who registered for COVID-19 vaccine but withdraw due to apprehensions.He said that people need more confidence and courage and to dispel these alleged fears and had volunteered to take the vaccine. Unfortunately 25 to 30 per cent health workers still have not taken the vaccine, he said.

As per reports 1,986 private healthcare personnel were administered the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday. The cumulative number of beneficiaries--healthcare workers in government and private sectors-- vaccinated as on Saturday was 1,68,589. The total percentage of government and private healthcare workers who received the vaccine till Saturday was 57 per cent.

No serious/severe case of AEFI (adverse events following immunization) was reported on Saturday and four persons who reported minor AEFI were stable, the release said.

The COVID-19 vaccination for private healthcare workers would continue on February 3, 4, 5 as Pulse Polio Immunization would be taken up on January 31, February 1 and 2.

Earlier one healthcare worker had died in Nirmal and another in Warangal district of Telangana after taking the COVID -19 vaccine shot.