The Union Health Ministry has now advised States and Union Territories to rope in all stakeholders including NGOs, faith-based organisations, religious leaders, community influencers and other partners to motivate and mobilise all eligible people towards full COVID Vaccination.
Stating that India is now in the last lap of COVID vaccination, the Health Minister directing an aggressive campaign to ensure full COVID-19 vaccination, said the States should deploy government officials, one day each week, to visit each eligible household to motivate and mobilise them to towards full vaccination.
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday held a virtual interaction with Health Secretaries and senior officials of the Health Department from Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Puducherry. At the meeting he reviewed the status of COVID 19 vaccination in these States and UTs and the progress under the Har Ghar Dastak campaign.
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These States and UTs have been reporting low vaccination coverage. While India’s first dose coverage is at 82% and second dose coverage at 43%, Puducherry (66%, 39%), Nagaland (49%, 36%), Meghalaya (57%, 38%) and Manipur (54%, 36%) lag behind from national average in their first and second dose coverage, said a Ministry release.
Reiterating that vaccination is the most potent weapon in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister said the entire machinery should work collectively that no eligible citizen is left without the ‘Suraksha Kawachh’ of COVID19 vaccine in the country, and to address issues of hesitancy, misinformation, superstition etc.
The Minister reiterated Prime Minister’s mop-up strategies for strengthening the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign including deploying ‘Prachar Toli’ in advance to villages which would ensure mobilisation and counselling of the eligible population along with awareness campaigns, followed by the ‘Vaccination Toli’ who would ensure that all eligible citizens are vaccinated with the first and second dose.
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“I have observed during my recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh the use of stickers of “Fully Vaccinated Home”. Similar innovative strategies can be used in other states too,” he stated. States can also make children and students as COVID19 Vaccination Ambassadors to urge and motivate the elders and eligible members in their families and communities to take both doses of COVID-19 vaccine, he added.
Dr. Mandaviya also asked the States to prepare detailed district-wise micro plans, deploy adequate number of teams and to regularly review the daily progress of the low performing districts. At the meeting the States were urged to make innovative short videos to address target groups for hesitancy, along with effective use of various social media platforms and traditional media.
Meanwhile the release added that while India's first dose coverage is at 82% (as on date), except for the UT of Puducherry, coverage of other States remain below 60%. Meghalaya with a target population over 20 lakh has 8 lakh people waiting to be given 1st dose and due beneficiaries for 2nd dose are over 2.5 lakh.
Similarly, Manipur has over 10 lakh people yet to get their first dose and over 3.7 lakh due beneficiaries for their second dose out of a target population of 23.4 lakhs. Nagaland with a target population of 14.7 lakhs has over 7.5 lakh first doses to be achieved and 1.2 lakh beneficiaries due for second doses. Puducherry with a population has 11.3 lakhs has 3.88 lakh people yet to get first dose and 1.91 lakh eligible but yet to receive second dose.