Villagers jump into river to avoid jab

Districts’ administration asked to launch an awareness campaign with the assistance of village surveillance committees

LUCKNOW : Covid-19 vaccinators are facing resistance from villagers in some districts of Uttar Pradesh, so much so that around 200 residents jumped into the Saryu river in Barabanki district’s Sisaunda village as health workers insisted that they take the jab on Saturday.

Several other villagers sat on the river’s embankment, threatening to jump deep into water if the vaccinators did not leave the village. After several hours of persuasion, the villagers came out of the water but merely 14 agreed to take the vaccine that day, an official said on Sunday.

Ram Nagar subdivisional magistrate (SDM) Rajiv Kumar Shukla said the vaccinators will visit Sisaunda, which has a population of 1700, again on Monday to inoculate the remaining beneficiaries.

In a separate incident, residents of Auraiya district’s Kadalpur village did not permit health workers to enter their village.

When accredited social health activists (Ashas) appealed to the villagers to take the vaccine, the villagers emerged with sticks, threatening to attack the vaccinators. As the villagers refused to take the vaccine, the health workers left the village.

Villagers also refused to take the vaccine at Khandi in Lalitpur district. Although health workers visited each household urging people to visit the vaccination camp, the villagers did not turn up. Later, the health workers left the village.

In Hamirpur district’s Bhatpura village, too, villagers refused to take the Covid vaccine. There, some of the residents were not willing to give their samples for tests either after a team of health workers reached the village on receiving reports about suspected Covid-19 cases. A group of villagers surrounded the health workers, threatening them with dire consequences if they did not leave.

Taking note of resistance to the Covid vaccine in the rural areas, the state health and family welfare department has directed the respective districts’ administration to launch an awareness campaign with the assistance of village surveillance committees and newly elected gram panchayat members to motivate the villagers to take the jabs .

Additional chief secretary (health and family welfare) Amit Mohan Prasad said the villagers should not believe in misleading publicity about the vaccine.

“The vaccine is safe, has no side-effect. It will protect them from Covid infection. Even after taking the vaccine, people should follow the Covid protocol. They should take both doses. The state government has launched statewide test, trace and treat drive in the rural areas to intensify the fight against the second wave of Covid-19,” he said. A state government official said the district administration officials were directed to take strict action against the “anti-social elements” who were spreading rumours against the vaccine.

As for the incident at Barabanki’s Sisaunda village, a team led by Ram Nagar sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Rajiv Kumar Shukla visited the spot.

The district administration officials and health department team urged the villagers to come out of the river, assuring them that the vaccine would have no side-effects and it would protect them from Covid -19. As a result, 14 villagers relented and agreed to take the vaccine that day.

To protect the rural population from Covid-19, the district administration had launched a vaccination drive in villages, Shukla said.