(Inset) Data based on the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (Image: Pixabay.com)
Many states, UTs including Nagaland defer vaccination for age group of 18-44 on May 1
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 1
Most states and Union Territories (UTs) including Nagaland, deferred the vaccination for the age group of 18-44 which kicked off across the country on Saturday, even as a health official said that status on vaccines would get clearer in a day or two in the state.
The shortage of vaccine was the most cited reason behind the deferment and reportedly the ‘Liberalised and Accelerated Phase-3 strategy’ of COVID-19 vaccination drive could be launched in only 6 states on May 1.
The exercise began mainly in six states - Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Odisha, and all other states and UTs deferred by few days due to shortage of vaccine, IANS news agency reported.
Even in these six states, the drive is "token", limited to just a few districts, it added.
Wait for official announcement
“Will have more clarity on vaccines in a day or two,” an official in the State’s Health Department told The Morung Express on Saturday, without elaborating, when queried for update on vaccine procurement in the state.
Nagaland’s Health and Family Welfare Department also reiterated on April 30 that the vaccination of the age group 18-44 years will “commence only when the state receives the vaccine from the supplier,” followed by an official announcement.
The State is processing to procure 4 lakh of doses of COVISHIELD, to begin its 3rd phase, from the Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), but the manufacturer had sent a letter that it would be supplying only 36,580 doses, it said.
30,220 vaccines in 1st fortnight of May
Meanwhile, Nagaland will receive another 30,220 COVID-19 vaccines ‘free of cost’ in the first fortnight of May, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) on Saturday.
This is in addition to 3, 26,440 vaccines the Centre has provided so far to the State.
An MOHFW’s release via the Press Information Bureau said that out of the total vaccines provided, Nagaland has consumed 2, 07,379 so far, inclusive of wastage.
There are still 1, 19,061 doses in Nagaland as on May 1, at 8am, it highlighted. The balance availability of doses may be lower as there is a time-lag in entry of offline sessions in Nagaland on the official CoWIN portal.
For instance, according to the weekly bulletin issued by State’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) on May 1, a total of 2, 06,014 doses have been administrated in Nagaland till April 30. It does not include wastage.
High wastage
Meanwhile, vaccine wastage is still high in Nagaland at 4.13%, indicating that around 13481 doses were wasted from the total 3.36 lakh received. The State, accordingly, was placed 9th among top 10 states/UTs reporting wastage.
Lakshadweep (9.76%), Tamil Nadu (8.83%) and Assam (7.70%) were placed first, second and third respectively on reported wastage of vaccines.
Despite the shortages, the MOHFW also informed that the Government of India has so far provided more 16.37 crore (16, 37,62,300) vaccine doses to States/UTs free of cost and still there are over 79 lakh (79,13,518) doses available for administration.
A total of 15, 58,48,782 have been consumed and more than 17 lakh vaccine doses will be received by the States/UTs within the next 3 days, it added.
With the launch of the Liberalised and Accelerated Phase-3 strategy, the states/UTs have to buy doses directly from vaccine companies but the Centre has said that it will continue to provide free vaccines to states for existing category of beneficiaries-- 45+, Health care workers and front line workers.
