The CLP delegation meets the governor and submit a memorandum. Ibobi questioned the rationale behind the delay of the 2nd dose of covid vaccine. “Is this because there are not enough stocks of the vaccines or because one month interval was found to be ineffective scientifically?” he asked.
TFM Desk
A delegation of Congress Legislature Party led by CLP leader & leader of the opposition Okram Ibobi Singh on Friday called on Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla at Raj Bhavan, Imphal and sought her attention to ensure for the free and total vaccination, with two doses on time, of all the citizens in Manipur.
After meeting the governor, former chief minister O. Ibobi Singh told the media that SoPs, including the necessity to have 2nd dose of vaccine on time, are being reminded on radio again. However, to get the second dose, one has to wait for three months now while Prime Minister, police personnel and frontline workers got the second dose in one month.
He questioned the rationale behind the delay of the 2nd dose in the state. “Is this because there are not enough stocks of the vaccines for all who are eligible or because one month interval was found to be ineffective scientifically?” he asked.
He pointed out that what the testing would do if there were no vaccines, as the vaccination should be given the top priority to save the lives from the severity of covid infections and covid deaths.
According to a press statement, as being directed by the All India Congress Committee and under the leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, the Congress delegation discussed with the Governor about the need of having free and universal vaccination of all in the nation to combat the ongoing covid pandemic in its second wave so that the third wave could be tacked proactively before the third wave hits the nation.
The memorandum, signed by O. Ibobi Singh, K. Govindas, Gaikhangam and K. Meghachandra, was handed over to the Governor by the Congress delegation, and the memorandum’s copy was also officially received by the Raj Bhavan. The memorandum sought the attention of the Governor to ensure for the free and total vaccination, with two doses on time, of all the citizens in Manipur.
Briefing the media after meeting with the Governor, O. Ibobi, expressed the non-political suggestions and appeals to the state government on the need to have a time bound aggressive and mass vaccination – besides random testing which had been taken up lately – across the state, in both the valley and the hills. He also raised that the state government had no clear cut policy on providing any compensation – in the form of extending Rs. 20 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakhs – to the doctors, para-medical staff and frontline covid warriors and police personnel who passed away fighting against the covid pandemic. He also asked why there should not be a compensation of Rs. 4 lakh, as per the government’s order which already was in place, each to the next kin of the deceased due to covid in Manipur.
In the memorandum, it mentions that “Covid-19 has caused unprecedented devastation and.immeasurable pain to nearly every Indian family. Tragically, Modi Govt. has completely abdicated its duty of fighting the Corona and abandoned the people, leaving them to fend for themselves.
The truth is that the Union BJP Govt. is guilty of criminal mismanagement of Covid-19. Vaccination is the only protection in the midst of the raging Covid-19 pandemic. As other countries started placing purchase orders for vaccines from May 2020, the Modi Government failed India. It went on to place its first order of vaccines only in January 2021.
As per Government of India, it has administered 21.31 crore vaccine doses till 31st May, 2021. But, only 4.45 crore Indians have received both the doses of vaccine, which is only 3.17% of India’s population. In last 134 days, the average pace of vaccination is about 16 lakh vaccine doses per day. At this pace, it will take over three years for us to vaccinate our adult population.
If this is the case, how will we save our fellow citizens from the third wave of Corona is the question that Modi Govt. need to answer? The need of the hour is that the BJP Govt. should procure the vaccine and supply for free to the States and private hospitals for the vaccination of the people of India. Also, we need to vaccinate our entire adult population of above 18 years on or before 31 December, 2021. This is the only way to save our people.
For this, the only solution is to vaccinate at least one crore people a day ,and not at the current average of 16 lakh people a day.”