Healthcare workers who refuse to get vaccinated against the coronavirus in Ranchi will have to submit a declaration stating that they have voluntarily opted out of the immunisation programme, officials from the district administration said on Tuesday, claiming that many healthcare workers had not taken Covishield vaccine jabs without specifying a reason for their apprehension.

“Health workers who are called for vaccination but refuse to get inoculated will have to submit a declaration stating clearly that backing out from the immunisation programme was their voluntary decision,” said Ranchi deputy commissioner Chavi Ranjan.

As per data collected by the National Health Mission (NHM), more than 75 per cent healthcare and frontline workers registered for free vaccination either did not turn up at the jab sites or backed out from taking the vaccine in Ranchi district. NHM data highlights that of the 51,831 people registered for vaccination in the district, only 12,158 were inoculated. As a result, Ranchi has achieved only 23 per cent of its vaccination target – the lowest among all the 24 districts in Jharkhand.

Ranchi has also reported the highest number of adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) in Jharkhand. Of the 247 AEFI cases reported in the state so far, at least 169 were reported in Ranchi alone, highlights government data.

Last week, a 52-year-old healthcare worker from a private hospital died 33 hours after vaccination here, triggering panic among beneficiaries registered to get free vaccine in the district, sources said. The matter is under investigation.

An official from the district administration said that declarations from those who do not want to get the vaccine had been sought for maintaining records related to the immunization programme in the district. No person will be forced to take vaccine shots against his/her wish, he added.

A healthcare worker, employed at a private hospital in Ranchi, said that rumours circulated on social media and news about people facing health complications following vaccination were instilling fear among healthcare workers.

“I have already taken the first dose of the vaccine, and I did not face any side effect. But some of my colleagues are afraid that they might suffer from severe side effects and are thereby apprehensive about taking the vaccine,” he said, requesting anonymity.

Vaccination against Covid-19 virus is not compulsory for every healthcare worker in India. Beneficiaries have the freedom to opt out of the process. However, doctors have requested all healthcare workers to get vaccinated without any fear of adverse effects of the jab.