Convenient vaccination of PwDs stressed
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 04 2021: Even though vaccination drive is being taken up in the state, there is no separate policy to vaccinate differently abled persons or people with disabilities (PwDs) as of now.

Earlier, ministry of social justice issued an instruction to frame a special provision for persons with disabilities for test, treatment and vaccination in relation with Covid-19.However, no concrete steps had been initiated so far in the state.

As of now, prior online registration is mandatory for receiving the vaccine for the people in the age group of 18-44 years.

Differently abled persons in this category are hoping that the government relax this criterion and allow spot registration for them.

Relief Centre for Welfare of Differently Abled Persons, Manipur secretary Ch Lokeshwari Devi told The People's Chronicle that they are not seeing any special provision for vaccinating the differently abled persons in the state.

They have written a letter to the state immunisation officer in this regard, she said and expressed hope that the government authority would take up necessary measures at the earliest.

She also appealed to the government to allow spot registration for differently abled and accord priority to them.

Maximum of the people in this category, which numbers around 50,000 have low immunity.

Besides, they do not have facility to go to distant places to get the vaccine, she said while urging the government to accommodate them in their nearest vaccination centres.

Comment