Among the hill districts of Manipur, Kamjong district is one of the most deprived districts in many aspects. Apart from lack of adequate Police personnel to check Law & Order situation, Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Workers, Kamjong District is not even equipped with necessary district admin vehicles for public welfare usage. Such inadequacies retard the progress of the district and especially hinder covid vaccination drive amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Facing various inconveniences, relevant authorities are making their best efforts to reach out covid vaccine to the residents of these far flung areas. 

 

Manipur government created Kamjong district which consists of 4 sub-divisions out of Ukhrul district on December 8, 2016. The district, sized around 2 thousand square kilometre is of hilly terrain with no proper roads till date to connect its inhabitants. Lack of proper infrastructure like health care centres, man power and good road has been even more challenging especially in these tough times of coronavirus pandemic, when the government is making due efforts to vaccinate all the eligible beneficiaries in the state.

There are around 36 Thousand eligible beneficiaries above the age of 18 in this fairly sized district of about 140 villages spread across four sub-divisions of Kamjong Sub-Division, Kasom Sub-Division, Phungyar Sub-Division and Sahamphung Sub-Division. District Administration Kamjong under the initiative of Phungyar MLA K.Leishiyo has been making earnest efforts for days on in reaching out Covid-19 vaccination drive in villages under Kasom, Phungyar and Kamjong Sub-Divisions. However, they are still unable to reach out vaccination drive to residents of villages under Sahamphung Sub-Division till date due to the obvious lack of electricity and pathetic road condition.

 

Challenging the pathetic road, lack of proper health centers, adequate vehicles and man power in the district, Phungyar MLA K Leishiyo is making relentless efforts along with Kamjong District DC and doctors, day and night to reach out Covid-19 vaccination drive to the residents of these remote villages in his constituency. But misconceptions about the vaccine have taken control over the ignorant villagers' minds and many are still unwilling to get vaccinated. One of the journeys included a visit to Chahong village, located 135 kilometres away from the Imphal City. Though, health officials administered Covid-19 Vaccine to many beneficiaries in Chahong Khullen, only 4 people of Chahong Chingthak were willing to get the vaccine shots even after more than an hour of raising awareness on the benefits of Covid-19 vaccination. While, none from the neighbouring villages of Phalung and K. Langli came out to get vaccinated. On the positive note, some villagers of Maku were willing to get vaccine shots after an awareness program was held for them.

 

It is a known fact that bad road connectivity in the remote areas of the state is a stumbling block in carrying out successful Covid-19 vaccination drive for the remote dwellers. Government should provide adequate man-power and suitable vehicles to drive through the rough terrains to reach out COVID-19 vaccine to the villagers. It is equally important for the relevant authorities and health officials including doctors to raise effective awareness to clear away any myths or doubts about the vaccine itself and encourage people to get inoculated against COVID-19 .