Mohali leads in vaccination, farm stir slows drive in some districts

CHANDIGARH: Home to the highest number of active Covid-19 cases among 22 districts of Punjab, SAS Nagar has earned a distinction on the vaccination front. The district is leading by having administered the highest per million (10 lakh) doses in the first phase of inoculation against the deadly Coronavirus.

According to data available on the Co-WIN application till April 28, SAS Nagar (Mohali) has administered nearly 2.36 lakh doses per million population in the district, followed by 2.12 lakh in Pathankot and 2.03 lakh in Gurdaspur. In absolute numbers, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana districts have administered higher number of vaccines than Mohali, but in terms of the proportion of population of the district, it has emerged the leader.

At least five panchayats in Mohali, Tarouli, Rasoolpur, Barsalpur, Madanheri and Bahadurgarh have achieved 100% vaccination, with all eligible persons above 45 having taken the jab. Punjab chief secretary Vini Mahajan has appreciated this, saying that the targets were achieved at a time when the health workers were under pressure, with high positivity rate being reported from across the state.

“Initially, vaccine hesitancy was quite high but then we followed the Lok Sanjhedaari model and collaborated with religious, political and industrial leaders. Day and night camps were also held. Our vaccine wastage of less than 1% is also the lowest in the state,” said Mohali deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan.

The laggard districts

Mansa, Sangrur and Ferozepur districts have fared the worst in vaccination. In Mansa, the vaccination per million to date is 61,359; Sangrur stands at 68,771 with Ferozepur at 75,610. Mansa chief medical officer Dr Sukhwinder Singh said the biggest reason behind the low vaccination coverage has been the reluctance of farmer groups.

He added that when the drive was started in January, farm groups had told them they wouldn’t wear masks or take the vaccine shots. “We faced major hurdles in carrying out vaccination. Finally, we reached out to religious and social leaders to motivate people. With a deadlier strain now claiming lives, residents of the district are coming forward for vaccination and testing,” the CMO added.

The farmers’ agitation was also the biggest hindrance in vaccination not taking off in Sangrur, with an official saying that residents told them that they did not believe in a virus and that the vaccine was a ploy of some sort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to weaken their agitation.