M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Nov. 17: A vaccination drive was administered in Latehar on Tuesday where vaccines were provided in a shrubby field. A rural woman who sat on her knees while receiving her first dose of Covid vaccine, covered her face and with another hand probably to avoid embarrassment. It was no ‘vaccination in home’ but ‘vaccination out of home.’
Such a scene of a rural woman sitting on her knees right in the shrubs and taking a vaccine shot comes in stark contrast to those sophisticated people who take the vaccine sitting inside their AC car in the metropolis.
According to sources, ANMs have numerous such ‘field encounters for the vaccinaction’ and motivation for it comes from the DC Latehar Abu Imran, Civil Surgeon Dr. Haren Chandra Mahto and his team.
ANM Gulabi Saras gave the first dose of the vaccine to Shanti Kumari who sat amidst the shrubs on her knees in Latu village.
Her companion ANM Malti Kumari talked to lagatar24.com on phone on Tuesday night and said, “Shanti Kumari was reluctant to take the jab. She refused point-blank before us.”
She further said that Shanti told them that her children are ‘small’ and if she gets down with fever then nobody will arrange for their food etc. Her household chores will be left unfinished her second fear was.
The ANMs were saddened to hear this version of Shanti who by then went to her paddy field just to avoid us. However, after some time she returned on her own and took the jab.
A multipurpose health worker Santosh Kumar accompanying ANMs Gulabi and Malti informed that 29 people were vaccinated in the Latu village and 22 in the adjoining village Kujrum on Tuesday.
DC Latehar Abu Imran was all praise for the dedication of the ANMs who are out giving doses of the vaccine in the field or even by the side of the railway line.
Medical officer-in-charge of the community health centre Barwadeeh, Dr Ashish Ranjan informed that Kariman Parhaiya was given his first dose of the vaccine beside the railway line barely one kilometre away from the Hehegara railway station on Tuesday.
Barwadeeh block had a target of 1,500 vaccinations on Tuesday but had to remain contented with 533 which accounts for 36 percent.
On Tuesday, Latehar had set a target of achieving 11,700 vaccinations but ended up finishing with 4,234 which comes to 36 percent.
DC Latehar Abu Imran said, “We hope our vaccination percentage will increase in the coming weeks.”
Latehar block was to do 2,500 vaccinations on Tuesday but ended up with just 831 jabs only. It is 33 percent.
Coal region Balumath had a target of 3,300 vaccinations but it could achieve only 1,123 which come to 34 percent.
A health official Ved Prakash said Latu and Kujrum villages that fall in the core areas of the tiger reserve Palamu are such villages where asking people to take the vaccine is most set to be ignored or left unheard but here in these two villages 51 vaccinations (Latu 29, Kujrum 22) were done in all on Tuesday which is a great thing for all of us.
