All those above 18 receive vaccination in remote panchayat in Odisha

Villagers initially reluctant to receive the jab due to misinformation

People stand in queue to vaccinate in Bhubaneswar. File

All eligible persons above 18 in a remote panchayat in Odisha’s Nuapada district have received COVID-19 vaccine.

“All eligible persons above age of 18 have been inoculated in Kushumjore panchayat. Vaccination in the panchayat which is close to Chhattisgarh border was taken up on mission mode,” Bhairab Charan Panigrahi, an Ayush doctor who was assigned to work with the community in the panchayat.

A total of 2,593 persons were administered the first dose where people were very reluctant to receive it. They had a fear that they would die in three months following inoculation.

Nuapada Collector Swadha Dev Singh and Khariar MLA Adhiraj Mohan Panigrahi appreciated the efforts of the grassroots health workers and Udit Pratap Singh Jyoti, a young sarpanch.

Those who were infected by COVID-19, elderly villagers with geriatric complications and pregnant women have been left out in the vaccination.

A huge achievement

“We received formal instruction about vaccinating pregnant women a couple of days ago for which we have not counted them in our drive,” said the Ayush doctor.

Given the illiteracy and lack of awareness on health in the remote areas of Nuapada, making people agree for inoculation was a huge achievement, said Mr. Jyoti.