Nandur (B) Primary Health Centre (PHC), about 10 km from Kalaburagi, caters to a population of around 32,000 spread across 10 villages and hamlets around it. The cluster has so far reported 543 positive cases so far.
Local health activists such as Yeshwantaraya Ashtagi say that the actual numbers are higher, given the proximity to Kalaburagi town. However, vaccination here is moving at a very slow pace in the PHC cluster, largely owing to short supply. As per Medical Officer Girijadevi, less than 1,200 people have been vaccinated thus far and only 59 of them have got the second dose.
“After the government announced the free vaccination for 18 plus age group, youth are increasingly turning up at the PHC centre and sub-centres at Kusnoor, Nandur (K), Khanadal and Nandikur. We are sending them back showing the government guidelines,” Dr. Girijadevi told The Hindu .
The government has prioritised certain vulnerable groups within the 18-44 year age group. “Supply of vaccine is the biggest problem. Yesterday, I had to fight with my seniors to get two vaccine vials to vaccinate Gram Panchayat members. Earlier, people showed little interest in vaccination despite our week-long awareness programmes and sustained persuasion. Now, people are increasingly coming to our PHC sub-centre and demanding vaccine and we are not able to vaccinate them,” Nagaraj Itagi, Junior Health Assistant attached to Kusnoor Health and Wellness Centre, told The Hindu .
Kusnoor village has reported 19 positive cases and two deaths (in a Kalaburagi hospital) in the current month alone and only 190 people were vaccinated as of Friday.
