Assam To Use Voter Lists To Target 100 Per Cent Vaccination For Guwahati

The Assam government will use the voters' list and data from 1,204 polling booths across Guwahati to verify the Covid vaccination status of the city's residents and identify those who have yet to get the jab, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said Saturday.

The government is targeting 100 per cent coverage in the state's largest city and de facto capital.

"Each polling booth has its separate list of voters... which means 1,204 voter lists will be used to contact every voter/resident of Guwahati to confirm they have been vaccinated. For this purpose, BLOs (Block Level Officers) have been assigned to each list," Mr Mahanta said.

He said BLOs had been trained in the process of vaccination verification at a three-day camp at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of the Kamrup (M) region, under which Guwahati falls.

"BLOs will visit every house on his/her list... accompanied by an ASHA (health) worker and Nagarik Committee member, or gaonburah (local leader), depending on the area. The three-member committee will go house-to-house starting August 21 for three days," he explained.

Post this a detailed report will be prepared, he said.

All polling stations in the 1,204 booth-level areas will also double as vaccination centres - from August 25 to August 31 - for those who have not yet been inoculated.

There are 456 polling station covering the 1,204 polling booths in the Kamrup (M) district and a missed call facility is available for those who want to schedule vaccinations, the minister said.

The missed call number is 8929103776.

"The objective is to make the process easier... and ensure that Guwahati is fully vaccinated," he said, as he also warned people of strict action if they were found violating Covid norms.

The Health Minister also said Guwahati had recorded 164 new Covid cases on Friday, and that the number of daily new cases in the city was still above 100. Assam reported 708 new cases on Friday.

94.96 per cent of Guwahati residents have received one dose of a vaccine and 32.4 per cent both.