HAPOLI, 25 Jun: “Covid-19 vaccination programme should be a people’s campaign,” said Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Somcha Lowang while chairing an ‘awareness-cum-interactive session’ with religious heads, student leaders, members of youth organizations, the TSD, CBOs and NGOs of the district here on Friday.
“Lower Subansiri district has been listed as a low-performing district in terms of vaccination coverage. Due to a difference in the actual headcount and the electoral roll, which is used as the reference data as denominator for calculations of various health indicators, the actual health status and performance of the field staff are not reflected, leading to skewed indicators. The efforts of all the healthcare workers, district administration, police and the panchayat leaders to ensure a good coverage will continue,” she said.
“As leaders, we have to traverse that extra mile to ensure these refusal/reluctant cases are convinced,” Lowang said, and urged the religious leaders to assess the vaccination status among their believers and encourage all to get vaccinated. She further requested all the leaders to submit an action taken report within a week.
“The NGOs, student unions and CBOs assisting the district administration and the medical department in attaining cent percent vaccination shall be duly recognized,” the DC stated.
She also informed that all the heads of offices have been directed to submit lists of unvaccinated government employees by 30 June for further intimation to the government.
DMO Dr Tage Kanno, medicine specialist Dr Roto Robo and paediatrician Dr Bengia Abo interacted with the leaders and cleared doubts, apprehensions, rumours and misinformation surrounding the Covid-19 vaccine.
Elaborating the arrangements made at all the vaccination centres, the DMO said that doctors, nurses and medicines are always available in case any medical intervention is required after vaccination.
He further assured to hold special vaccination sessions at all the religious prayer centres.
The members of the student unions assured to have all their executive members inoculated and submit the action taken report to the DC within a week.
It was also decided in the meeting to intensify awareness activities in local dialects.
As on 24 June, 19,480 people had been vaccinated, of whom 15,413 received the first dose and 4,067 were fully inoculated. (DIPRO)
