A tribal-dominated block in Jharkhand’s Left Wing Extremism-hit Khunti district, where healthcare workers were not allowed to enter earlier this year owing to rumours and apprehensions among villagers about Covid-19 vaccination, has become the first block in the state to achieve 100 per cent vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Torpa block, about 60 km north of Ranchi, has managed to administer at least the first dose of vaccines to all its 56,000-odd eligible beneficiaries staying in 16 panchayats, health officials from Khunti said on Sunday, adding that about 70 per cent of the beneficiaries had also received the second jab there.

However, convincing a largely-uneducated and unaware group of villagers to overcome their fear of the vaccine was not an easy task. Khunti deputy commissioner Shashi Ranjan said that several initiatives taken by district officials, NGOs and other social activists helped the administration conduct vaccination drives in the block and achieve 100 per cent coverage.

Awareness session in progress in Torpa, Khunti Sourced by the correspondent

“Initially, we prepared a list of beneficiaries from the voters’ list. Later, door-to-door campaigns were organised to identify the beneficiaries and spread awareness about the benefits of vaccination,” said Ranjan. “Gram sabhas and night plays were also organised to spread awareness among villagers and help them overcome their fears associated with vaccination,” he added.

As per government records, there are 95 villages in Torpa block with a population of 55,939 adults, all eligible for Covid-19 vaccination.

Sources said that one of the greatest fears associated with vaccination was rumours that it would lead to impotency in men. Many villagers also believed in rumours that vaccination would make them physically weak, and created a ruckus at vaccination centres if even one of the villagers suffered from mild side effects after a jab.

Besides gram sabhas and other group activities, sports also helped in reposing faith of villagers in vaccines, officials said. Hockey and football matches were organised regularly in the villages at Torpa, which gradually helped villagers gain trust in the government’s initiative.

Union joint secretary, department of health & family welfare, Gayatri Mishra recently congratulated concerned officials on achieving 100 per cent vaccination coverage in Torpa, and said that Torpa’s feat would be used as a model in other blocks.