Jharkhand is facing shortage of vaccines and if the State did not get requisite doses then the inoculation for 18-44 age group will be halted midway due to vaccines shortage. The issue of shortage of vaccines was also raised by Chief Minister Hemant Soren during the meeting with his Council of Ministers.
The Chief Minister informed that there is only two/three days of vaccine left in the State for the age group in the category 18-44 years. The vaccine companies have failed to provide vaccines to Jharkhand.
The CM also said that the vaccines provided by the Government of India for people above 45 years of age are also sufficient for seven to 10 days only. The CM said for vaccination to all, the State requires around 4 crore of vaccines, but till now the State Government has received only 40 lakh vaccine doses. In such a situation, the State Government has decided to import the Covid-19 vaccine. Necessary import process is being completed.
The CM’s observation on shortage of vaccines assumes importance as centres which are giving vaccines in 18 to 44 years have a long queue of people. Rohit Kumar Singh, a techie who has received vaccines said, “There are several problems in the vaccination process right from registration in Cowin app to booking of
slots, cancellation of slots and even slots are received more than it is outside Ranchi.”
Sharing his experience, Rohit said, “I tried to get my slots booked in Ranchi, but in Ranchi no centre was available for giving vaccines. Later I had left with no other alternative but to book my slot in Ratu.”
Echoing the views of Rohit, another youngster Kumar Gaurav said that while getting slots booked in Ranchi and Jamshedpur is tough time but slots are available in Pakur, Dumka and other districts, but in these districts there is no taker for vaccines.
Also, the State Government’s progress in vaccination is much below its expectations, against the target of around 8,400,000 people to be vaccinated in the age group who are 45 years. Around 2,400,000 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 around 15,800,000 people to be vaccinated in this age group only 2,80,000 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.
Vaccines shortage is not confined to only Jharkhand but it is in other States too, Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra have suspended the Covid-19 inoculation drive for the 18-44 age groups due to shortage of vaccines.