Voice of Imphal Times
IT Desk
Imphal Times has been closely monitoring the speed of the Covid-19 vaccination programme from the beginning in the state of Manipur. This newspaper has also been closely watching on the reason behind the slow progress in the vaccination programme despite the fact that there are some doses left with the state. The vaccination drive which begins from Jan 16 could only jab to just around 5000 people per day on average and later was able to increase to around 6000 people.
As of May 18 the average number of people vaccinated was just around 6000 people per day even as the Covishield doses at stock with the government concern department was 1,29,925. On the very day, the third base vaccination programme for age between 18 to 44 was cancelled as the chart released from the state health department shows zero records. Even though vaccination for age above 45 years, health workers and other frontline workers took place.
The good news is that the state health authority somehow manages to increase the vaccination by around double on May 19. As per the record made available to the media the number of people between age 18 to 44 was 4319 on May 19. And the total number of people vaccinated on the day was recorded as 8240 – a double times from May 18 report. This certainly showed that the lapses or the loophole in the vaccination has been found out and there is reason to expect that the number of vaccination may increase to more as long as the vaccine are available.
Assuming no wastage of the covishield doses , the total doses left with the state should be 1,21,505. Instead of taking months the authority should accelerate the vaccination drive as vaccine shortage will be made up by the central authority. According to the PIB report, Nearly 2.00 crore ( 1,97,70,555) doses of vaccine are still available with all the States and union territory.
This showed that the centre is every time ready to sent all require vaccines if the state uses all its resources to vaccinate the people. This is being stated as almost all competent authority has agreed on vaccination as the only alternative to safe from Covid -19, and completion of the mass vaccination is the only way that can protect the people.
Imphal Times suggests the government to speed up the vaccination drive as it has been proved that the state can do it if desire.
