Despite the State Government’s mammoth efforts to intensify immunisation, results are not favourable, but a cause of concern for health experts in Jharkhand. The State Government’s progress in vaccination is much below its expectations, against the target of 8,386,677 people to be vaccinated in the age group who are 45 years. Only 2,325,088 people have been vaccinated till date — 28 per cent of the target. It means that still 72 per cent of the targeted population in the age group of 45 years is to be vaccinated.
The figure in the age group of 18 to 44 years is more dismal. Out of 15,734,635 people to be vaccinated in this age group only 2,71,418 people have been vaccinated which is around 1.72 per cent. Still 98 per cent of the population in the age group of 18 to 44 years is to be vaccinated.
Experts opine that there is a need for speeding up vaccination drives in the State so as to break the corona chain. A senior doctor who is associated with Indian Medical Association (IMA) requesting anonymity said, “This is a very disturbing trend that despite all efforts our vaccination rate is below expectations. Government should change the strategy as unless and until a large section of the population is vaccinated, desired results in containing the speed of infection can’t be achieved.”
The doctor said, “The Government should change its policies, in urban areas such as Ranchi and Jamshedpur people in the age group of 18 to 44 years are not receiving slots for vaccination. Centres in rural districts such as Pakur, Dumka are having slots for vaccination but people are not turning up for vaccination.”
Echoing the views of the IMA doctor, a youngster and techie Kumar Vikrant said, “For past one week I have been working hard for slot booking in the Cowin app. But, every time the slot is full in Ranchi and nearby localities. However, in centres in other districts such as Garhwa and Palamu the slot is available but no one is turning up for vaccination.”
Telangana having population equal to Jharkhand ie 3.7 crore is much ahead in vaccination success rate. Telangana has till date vaccinated around 54.5 lakh population while Jharkhand has till date vaccinated only 37 lakh of population.
Experts opine that the third phase of corona is going to reach in next six to eight months and if proper precautions are not taken along with speeding up vaccination then it will have dangerous consequences. The poor vaccination is not only confined to Jharkhand, but is across the Country.
Sources said that the Country has so far completely vaccinated only 5 per cent of its adult population (18 years and above). The share drops to 3.33 per cent when one factors the entire population. The United States, the only other country to have more cumulative cases than India, has so far completely vaccinated 37 per cent of its population, according to Johns Hopkins University, US. France, which has the fourth highest share of Covid-19 cases in the world, has completely vaccinated almost 13 per cent of its population.