Only Four States Across India Vaccinated More Women Than Men: Report

As vaccinations in India nears 18 crore mark, a startling gender gap in vaccination across various states has been observed, according to The New Indian Express.

Except, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Himachal Pradesh, where more women have been vaccinated than men, a gender gap has been observed in vaccinations. While the gap is four per cent nationally, in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh there is a 10% difference in the male-female ratio of vaccination The widest difference in male-female vaccination is observed in Nagaland and Jammu & Kashmir where there is a 14% difference.

The gender divide in other states is as follows:

Nagaland- 14.43%

Jammu and Kashmir- 13.76%

Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh- 10-13%

Chandigarh-11%

As per the Cowin portal data, among the 17.8 crore people vaccinated, 7.3 crore are male, 6.5 crore female and 19,000 others.

Vaccination Statistics

According to the Union Health ministry data, 4,37,192 beneficiaries in the 18-44 years age group received their first dose of the vaccine on Thursday, and 39,14,688 beneficiaries across 32 states and UTs cumulatively received the vaccine since the third phase of the vaccination drive began.

Although the central government began vaccination for 18-44 years age group, the Centre has said that the beneficiaries must pay for the vaccine. Some states, however, have announced free vaccination to all residents in all the age groups in the respective states.

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country stands at 17,91,77,029 as per the 8 pm provisional report," the ministry said to The New Indian Express.

According to the New Indian Express data on utilisation of Covishiled and Covaxin doses, India has completely utilised 6.6 crore doses received via PM-CARES fud and one crore doses received via the GAVI COVAX facility.

Apart from this, India had also placed an order of 12 crore vaccines for phase II, out of which 86% have been delivered, and the rest are expected by the end of this month.

Another order of 16 crore vaccines (both Covishield and Covaxin) had also been placed. The supply of these vaccines would also begin this month.

India recently gave emergency use authorisation to DRDO drug and also received the first batch of Sputnik vaccines. By the end of this year, India is expected to get 216 crore doses of vaccines, including 75 crore doses of Covishield, 55 crore doses of Covaxin, and 15.6 crore doses of Russian made Sputnik vaccine.

Vaccinations Across Age Groups

Total population vaccinated - 17,91,77,029

Delhi Commission For Protection Of Child Rights chairman Anurag Kundu has urged the Union Health Secretary in a letter to include pregnant and lactating mothers in the vaccination drive. The two cohorts are currently excluded due to the lack of clinical trials in the effect of the vaccine on the groups. Pregnant and lactating mothers must be considered as a high-risk group and a task force must be set up to monitor the effects. A registry must also be created to monitor any adverse effects of the vaccine on pregnant women and lactating mothers.

"Annually, 2.6 crore women give birth, and another 2.6 crore are lactating mothers. This makes 5.2 crore women who are left out, a critical population both in numbers and their vulnerability priority. World-over maternal death due to Covid-19 is emerging as a concern," he said in a tweet on Thursday.

Also Read: Vaccine Inequity In 18-44 Age Group: 85% Of Them Vaccinated Are In Just Seven States