Huge turnout slows down Assam Covid vaccination drive

Huge turnout has slowed down the Covid vaccination drive in Assam.

Vaccination centres are witnessing large turnouts of people at several places. A large number of people are going back without getting inoculated.

The Assam government has ruled out any shortage of vaccines.


Assam’s immunisation spokesperson Munindra Nath Ngatey told ET, “There is no shortage of vaccines. On Tuesday we received 7 lakh doses of vaccine and we distributed the same.”

He added, “However the vaccination centre has a capacity and with two nurses they can administer around 150 to 200 doses daily so those exceeding this limit are returned back but this does not mean we have vaccine shortage.”

Sources in the health department however said that there are 2000 Covid vaccination Centres(CVC) across the states and almost 40 to 50 percent are non-functional owing to supply issues.

Ngatey said that all the CVCs are functioning. “There are partial curfews and restrictions on movement of people so we have to take everything into consideration.”

Recently, people in an area in Badarpur in Karimganj district protested on the national highway alleging despite coming for several days for the first dose of vaccines they were sent back.

Prasanta Deka (name changed) who is attempting to get vaccinated in Ulubari Centre for the last three days said, “Despite coming for the last three days, I am not getting vaccinated. On Thursday I was told that there are only 100 doses.”

Similar complaint was made by a group of people who could not get vaccinated in Gandhibasti Centre of Guwahati.

Since June 21 Assam has set a target of vaccinating 3 lakh people every day.

Assam Health minister Keshab Mahanta told media persons on Thursday that around 70 lakh people are vaccinated. “We have around six lakh vaccines with us.”

Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said that around 60 to 70 percent of Assam’s eligible population will be vaccinated by July. “Assam has a population of 3.50 Crore out of which 2.25 Crore will be the eligible population.”