Kathmandu, June 9. The women population of India is lagging behind in the covid vaccination drive. India has administered the vaccines to more men than women, according to government data.

According to the data released on Tuesday, India has partly or fully vaccinated about 101 million men, nearly 17% more than women. Inequalities in the inoculation is seen in the capital Delhi and states such as Uttar Pradesh. However, places such as Kerala and Chhattisgarh have vaccinated more women than men.

Health officials have said that rumors surrounding that the vaccination will disrupt the menstrual cycle and fertility have affected the vaccination drive. They also added that men take the vaccines as they have to move out for work, whereas women are limited to domestic and household chores.

Sudha Narayanan, a former bureaucrat who worked in the health ministry in New Delhi, said, “The government will have to ramp up awareness programmes in rural India to ensure women understand the importance of vaccines and prioritise themselves in this race to secure the two shots”

Women in Rajasthan and Gujrat have requested for door-to-door vaccination as they cannot leave their children behind. However, the officials have denied such requests.

The urban population in India is more vaccinated in India rather than the rural population. It is said to be due to a policy that enabled the urban population to purchase more vaccines.

PM Modi has reversed the policy, saying that vaccines will be allowed at no cost starting June 21.

India has so far administered 233.7 million doses of covid vaccine, which is the most in the world after China and the United States.

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