Health worker administers COVID-19 vaccine to a beneficiary during the vaccination drive for 15-18 years age group launched by State Health & Family Welfare Minister, Pangnyu Phom at the District Hospital Dimapur on January 3. (Photo Courtesy: twitter@pangnyu)
State Health Minister launches drive amid low turnout
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 3
Nagaland today launched the COVID-19 vaccination drive for 15-18 years age group, though the first day saw a low turnout. State Health & Family Welfare Minister, Pangnyu Phom officially launched the vaccination drive at the District Hospital Dimapur.
The vaccine launching programme was attended by ADC Dimapur, MS Dimapur, doctors and other health workers.
According to a DIPR report, after the launch in Dimapur district, it will be extended to other districts with the distribution of the Covaxin vaccines to other districts.
The State has received 1,43,000 doses of the vaccines, the Minister informed at the launch, further appealing all eligible beneficiaries to come forward and take the vaccine.
He also lauded the healthcare workers and front line workers of Dimapur district for achieving more than the targeted figure (120% 1st dose and 96% 2nd dose) on his personal as well as on behalf of Government of Nagaland, it said.
On the occasion, Pangnyu gave away certificates to the first 4 beneficiaries under 15 to 18 years age group who received the doses right after the formal launching. Mulungnam (17 years) was the first person in the State to receive the vaccine in the age group.
Earlier, the Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur, Dr I Moa Temjen said that vaccination response in Dimapur district has been very successful so far.
He asserted that mortality cases are mostly from those who were not vaccinated and encouraged the citizens to get vaccinated.
Over 40 lakh on Day-I across the country, but low turnout in Nagaland
Over 40 lakh in the 15-18 years age group received the first doses across the country on Day-I, further informed the CoWIN data.
A total of 40, 02,782 (40.22 lakh approx) in 15-18 age group were vaccinated as per the update on the portal till 7:30 pm. In addition, over 50.28 lakh beneficiaries in the age group were registered for vaccination.
However, the first day response was low in Nagaland as per the official data on the portal. As of 7:30 pm, only 152 beneficiaries in the age group had taken the vaccine in the State.
When The Morung Express visited Chümoukedima Public Health Centre which is a vaccination site, in the afternoon, there were hardly any teenaged beneficiaries, though there were some waiting for vaccination in the 18+ category.
A total of 20 beneficiaries for the 15-18 age groups were entered in a register maintained for the day at around 1 PM.
This is the first day, so there were less people, a health worker maintaining the register reasoned. On the sideline, two teenagers were taking rest after receiving their doses.
It was nothing, said one, implying the vaccination went well.
At the launching site at Dimapur Hospital, three health care workers (HCWS) were winding-up for the day when this newspaper visited in the late afternoon.
One of them informed that a total of 47 beneficiaries in the 15-18 years age group received their doses on the first day. The HCWs also attributed the lackluster first day to lack of awareness and opined that it would pick up in the coming days.
One of them also informed that the response on other sites, particularly Duncan UPHC was better. There were 2 other sites of vaccination for the day.
The data on CoWIN portal tends be lower as there is some time lag in data reconciliation, but the Day-I figure did not increase considerably.
There is still fear to take vaccine among many due to various reasons, another HCW said, without directly answering on whether vaccine hesitancy could be a factor for low turnout.
Incidentally, on the run-up to the official launching, several unverified and debunked information were shared on various social media platforms as vaccine antagonists resurfaced after a lull.
Reports of Expired Vaccines ‘False and Misleading’: MoHFW
Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry in an official statement called reports alleging that “expired vaccines are being administered in India as ‘False and Misleading.’”
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on October 25 in response to an “M/s Bharat Biotech International Limited’s letter, approved the extension of shelf life of Covaxin (Whole Virion, Inactivated Coronavirus Vaccine) from 9 months to 12 months,” it said.
“Similarly, the shelf life of Covishield has been extended by the National Regulator from 6 months to 9 months on 22nd February 2021,” it added.
Accordingly, the ministry reiterated that the “shelf life of vaccines is extended by the National Regulator based on comprehensive analysis and examination of stability study data furnished by the vaccine manufacturers.”
