Assam: Mass Covid vaccination drive begins for 18-plus age group

GUWAHATI: The Assam government on Monday launched a massive 18-plus Covid vaccination drive to inoculate three lakh people everyday, crossing the first day target before evening. The plan was to continue the drive up to 9 pm but the target was achieved about a couple of hours before.
"It is huge. A matter of great personal pride as Assam achieves target of 3 lakh vaccination in a day, pursuing vision of Hon PM @narendramodi," tweeted chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He complimented Team Assam for doing a commendable job despite the rains. "A festive fervour on vaccination continues even as I write this," Sarma wrote in his twitter handle.
A total 3,19,430 beneficiaries were vaccinated during the day, as Assam joined the ‘Free Vaccination for All’ campaign along with the rest of the country. For this campaign, the Centre is providing free vaccines to all the states. Over 2,000 Covid Vaccination Centres (CVCs) have been operationalized across the state, along with dedicated CVCs for the population residing in the tea gardens and rural areas.
Special focus has been put in the districts that are showing higher positive cases and may face lockdown soon. In Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, the highest 24,053 beneficiaries got the jabs since morning, followed by Dibrugarh (22,287), Cachar (20,910), Sonitpur (18,197) and Tinsukia (17,372). The government had set a goal to accelerate the vaccination rate by more than three-fold, as the average daily vaccination in the state was around 60,000 of late. Shortage of vaccine was the biggest hindrance to expediting the drive in the rural areas of the state which lagged behind in the inoculation drive.
"I would like to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for their visionary leadership. My gratitude to the guardian ministers, all health officials, vaccinators, police, district administration and others, who made the drive successful,” said health minister Keshab Mahanta.
As on June 18, the state has 52 lakh doses of vaccines administered for all the categories of beneficiaries. Now, along with the provision for online registration for vaccination, walk-in registration for all eligible population above 18 years of age has also been made.
Model Vaccination Centres (MVCs) have been set up to give a local fervour and basic facilities to the citizens, keeping in mind the vaccine hesitancy factor in certain rural pockets. "MVCs have been prepared tastefully to give a feel of hope, positive spirit and enjoyable environment to the participant beneficiaries," Assam NHM director Lakshmanan S, said.
CVCs have been provided with drinking water, toilet facilities and sitting arrangements. "We have also extensively conducted branding of MVCs, with prior miking activities before the start of the campaign," he said.
Health department spokesperson Pomi Baruah said massive IEC activities have been undertaken to generate positive public response for the Intensified Free Vaccination Camps. "ASHA workers have been engaged to generate greater demand for Covid vaccination even in the remotest and far-flung areas of the state," she added.
In a rural corner of Kamrup district, All Rabha Students' Union activist Hemanta Rabha took the trouble to bring down Rabha tribal villagers from the hills in Loharghat area for Covid testing. In the hamlets along the Meghalaya border area, the virus penetrated unexpectedly into the interiors. The villagers here are mostly self-sufficient with their home grown agri-products and avoid busy markets. Hemanta was among the first to get the vaccine shield in Loharghat MV School on Monday and geared up for proactive support to the community, if a third wave hits the state.
"No one knows what's going to happening. We have been informed that for the next one week, vaccination for all 18+ people will continue here. Considering the small population of our villages, everyone should get vaccinated by then," Hemanta said.