Poll-Bound Manipur Has 3rd Lowest Vaccination Rate : CoWIN Portal

19th January 2022

NET Web Desk

Amid an upward trajectory of COVID-19 cases across the northeastern state of Manipur and the outbreak of “Omicron Variant”, the poll-bound state will be conducting polls next month in two phases – February 27 and March 3. However, the low inoculation rate in the state stood to be a matter of concern among medical fraternities and the election authorities.

According to The Print report, low percentage of citizens getting administered with COVID-19 vaccines have been reported mainly due to human behaviour – vaccine hesitancy, and partly because of differences in data about Manipur’s population.

This statement clearly depicts that a difference between Manipur’s actual vaccination rate and number reflected on CoWIN Portal.

If CoWIN data is taken into context, the northeastern state of Manipur have been marked as the third-lowest performing state in terms of COVID-19 vaccination drive. Only 56 per cent of the population has received the first dose, while 43 per cent of the population has received the second dose.

However, Manipur only fares better than Nagaland (48 per cent first dose, 36 per cent second dose) and Meghalaya (55 per cent first dose, 40 per cent second dose), according to CoWIN App.

The Additional Chief Secretary (health) in Manipur, V. Vumlunmang told The Print that low rate of COVID-19 Vaccination is attributable to the Union health ministry’s population targets exceeding the actual number of people in the state.

“Its (Union ministry’s target is) based on the population percentage as provided by the Registrar General of India (RGI). When we spoke to them, they said that it’s an estimate and there could be a difference of a few lakhs. For a state like ours where the numbers are small, a few lakhs make a very big difference,” Vumlunmang said.

Its worthy to note that Manipur registered 235 Covid cases on January 17 and 279 on 16 January. The number was 158, 116 and 155 on the preceding three days. However, Manipur has reported 32 more Omicron cases have been detected on Monday, thereby pushing the tally to thirty-nine (39), as informed by a health department bulletin.

According to a press release issued by the Manipur director of health services, K Rajo Singh, a total of 32 Omicron cases were detected in various districts of the state.