There is an urgent need to intensify covid vaccination drive in the far flung areas of Manipur. Many villagers in remote areas are still reluctant to get Covid-19 vaccine jab due to fear created by rumours about the vaccine. Roads in these villages are also in a bad shape hindering vaccination drive.

Villagers in the remote hill districts of Manipur are oblivious to the impending threat of Covid-19 pandemic. They are at the risk of getting COVID-19 if anyone with the infection happened to visit these villages. Timely COVID vaccination is a must and the only sure means to prevent such unwanted consequences.

Many villagers are reluctant to get jabbed with COVID-19 vaccine due to rumours about the vaccine that have been circulating for a while. Over and above, roads in these remote villages are in a pathetic condition owing to which, arranging vaccination sites in these villages is a hefty task. Phungyar A/C MLA, Leishiyo Keishing who is also the Chairman of Hills Area Committee along with District Administration has been organising awareness programmes on COVID vaccination in villages in his constituency for a while now. Awareness programs were held along with Litan police at Singkap, Marou and Singta villages just yesterday. 

Though Manipur government has intensified covid vaccination drive in valley areas, not even 20 thousand people have been vaccinated so far in the hill districts. Some villagers believe that getting Covid-19 vaccine is similar to getting  ‘666’ marked, which is believed to be the symbol of Anti-christ or the devil. Such rumour and many others have hindered vaccination drive.

After villagers repeatedly failed to turn up at Covid Vaccination Centres, the local MLA himself had visited some of these villages to raise awareness on the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and to clear away their doubts. Impact News reporter Kshetrimayum Premchand interacted with some of the villagers yesterday and witnessed that many of them are now willing to get the vaccine shots.

Around 200 villagers of Singkap, Marou and Singta recieved COVID-19 vaccine jabs just yesterday following an awareness program on the benefits of covid vaccination. On the positive note, eligible residents of 60 villages out of aound 140 villages of Kamjong District have been inoculated against COVID-19 so far. Meanwhile, the relevant authorities are making their best efforts to vaccinate the remaining eligible beneficiaries within this month.