278 dies in 23 days, 12,125 tested positive – vaccination rate conducting on 2% of the population per day – Is it a mockery to Prime Minister or the Chief Minister?
IT Desk
Nobody knows what went wrong with the covid-19 vaccination programme in the state of Manipur as the graph could not be rise when the death toll reached 278 in just 23 days with 12,125 people tested with the covid-19 positive. The state government appealed for vaccination to prevent severity from the attack of the unseen virus turn as mockery with the state Health department authority setting record of just 3 doses in Senapati district on Sunday wasting 7 doses. Each vial of covishield vaccine being used in the state can jab 10 doses and once open, the vials could be used for just 4 hours, a source from the immunization division told Imphal Times.
On Sunday, vaccination of covid vaccine was not done at any other vaccination centers at any of the districts of Manipur except in Senapati district. As Vaccination of the covishield has been done in Senapati district where the majority of the inhabitants are following Christian religion, and besides, the world today is in state of emergency, and Manipur being hit severely with the covid-19 attack. So far no off day for vaccination has been heard announced by the state government. If any notification had been issued for ‘off day’ of vaccination programme either on Sunday or any other day, then those giving vaccines to three persons and wasting the remaining 7 doses should be taken up appropriate action.
The state Health Department’s immunization division is making a mockery of the Prime Minister of India as well as the Government of Manipur headed by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh as there has been no increase in the vaccination conducted in the state. The Authority of the state Health Department seems to be busy releasing office memorandum and conducting virtual meeting which never converted the decision into action. The way that the authority of the state health department headed by Director K. Rajo , who had been re-engaged on the ground best known to the government seems to be working on papers and not on the ground.
Since the 3rd phase vaccination began, in the state on May 17, the authority hasn’t made any proper policy to ensure vaccination for all . The incompetency character of the health department is noticed on the notice for vaccination of the third phase ( in 3rd phase vaccination target beneficiaries are between 18 + years to 44 years ) . the government of Manipur received 39,840 doses of covishield vaccine on May 12. The government already announced to start 3rd phase vaccination from May 1. But due to non-availability of the vaccine stock, many states including Manipur had to be delayed. Even after receiving the vaccines for the 3rd phase on May 12, the Health Department authority could begin the vaccination of the age group between 18 to 44 years only on May 17. The shocking part is that on the department authority allocated only 7,500 doses of Vaccine in a memorandum dated May 13, which was signed by Dr. T. Manihar Singh, State Immunization Officer, Family Welfare Service Manipur. But on the following day for reason best known to the SIO himself issued another memorandum allocating another 32,280 doses for vaccination of 3rd phase. Something seems fishy on why there was two memorandum on consecutive days have to be issued.
On the other hand, even after knowing the fact that there were no public transports and no private vehicles or even pedestrians were not allowed in the state as strict curfew has been imposed in the state, only 2 vaccination centers have been opened for all the 16 districts of the state. And that too, on the 1st day of the 3rd phase vaccination programme started (May 17) only 16 vaccination centers were open in each district. On the first day even though 1000s of people within the age of 18 to 44 have registered using Cowin application the state could vaccinate only 1,828 people. Vaccination of the third phase could not be started at Kamjong district even after 1,590 doses have been allocated.
On the following day no vaccination of aged between 18 to 44 was conducted at any of the districts. On 19 May the vaccination increases after the vaccination centers have been increased, reaching the number of doses given to age group 18 to 44 as 4,319. However, the vaccine doses given to this age group again decline day after another.
On May 20 , just 73 vaccine doses were given at Kamjong districts only. No vaccination of this age group was conducted at the remaining 15 districts.
On May 21 , the number doses given to age group 18 to 44 was only 73 at Kamjong district. And no vaccination was done at the remaining 15 districts. On May 21 , dose given to the mention age group was only 2567 doses at churachandpur, Imphal East , Jiribam, kamjong, and Ukhrul district. No vaccination of this age group was conducted on that day at the remaining 11 districts.
On May 22 , 246 vaccine doses were given to the 3rd phase age group (18 to 44 years) at Imphal East and Kamjong district only. There were no vaccination center open for all eligible at Noney, Pherzawl and Senapati district.
Assuming no wastage, the total vaccination given in the age group of the third phase (18years to 44 years) is only 6,469 doses as on May 23 (yesterday). Reliable source from the State Vaccine Store (SVS) is over 1 lakh. On calculation, by Imphal Times the vaccine stock should be around 1.2 lakhs doses.
The total number of people who received the first dose (including all) as per the government released record is 3,45,618 people and those who already jab the 2nd dose is 79,773.
The vaccination conducting per day is at an average of 6000 people for a population of over 30 lakhs.
It is not because there are no adequate stocks of vaccines but due to the incompetency of the vaccine immunization division under the state national health Mission and partially by the Director of Health, K Rajo as he had been appointed as the chairman to look into the overall matters.
