M F AHMAD
Daltonganj, Jan 11: Tarhassi, a 13-panchayat block in Palamu, has completed 100% first dose Covid vaccination, said BDO Sachidanand Mahto today. The second dose data stands at 52%.
“The migrant workers on their arrival here are motivated to take vaccines. Their arrival is a trickle but migrating is always in bulk,” the BDO said.
Mahila Samagra Utthan Samiti, an NGO played a very positive and vigorous role by conducting an honest house to house survey. The data collected by it of 18+ people was again verified by the team of block officials to remove any impurity of information.
Beneficiaries of government food grains, pension holders, PM Gramin Aawas Yojna etc were virtually captured for the vaccination. Public distribution shop dealers were pressured to force their clients to first take the vaccine and then to queue up for the government ration and it clicked.
“Many were refused ration for three consecutive days but when they presented their Covid vaccination certificate, ration came fast and first too,” Mahto said.
He said he even aired threats of lodging cases against the people refusing vaccines under the Disaster Management Act 2005 and such verbal intimidation had its impact and people finally settled with the vaccine.
The first dose vaccination of 51,000 residents barring 5,600 out of Jharkhand was no overnight achievement.
A meticulous planning and strategy were drawn way back in October 2021 and work started on it by November end.
Civil surgeon Palamu Dr Anil Kumar said, “We appreciate civil teams’ cooperation and efforts in this national mission of vaccination and wish more and more blocks in Palamu come out telling us about hundred percent first dose vaccination done.”
There are 21 blocks in Palamu and 90 percent of them struggle and languish in terms of the vaccination.
