MYSURU: Even as India and Karnataka are grappling with vaccination shortage and its hesitancy with COVID cases rising at an alarming rate, the tribal pockets of the Mysuru district have been recording impressive coverage beating claims, predictions and doubts when it comes to inoculation among tribals.
Thanks to a lower number of infections even during the highest spike last year and self-imposed restrictions, the tribal population has received much attention.
These communities are now turning into a model for those living in urban zones where the vaccine supply chain is active but has failed to reach a significant share of the population.
Jenu Kuruba, Soliga and Hakki Pikki communities reside in the tribal hamlets of the Hunsur district of Mysuru. Out of 4825 individuals, with age groups of above 45 and 60 with co-morbidities, 1830 have been vaccinated so far, according to officials.
Similarly, in HD Kote taluk, DB Kuppe PHC under which many tribal hamlets come, 956 individuals out of the target population 1253 received their vaccine.
To deliver vaccination coverage in tribal areas, the authorities have implemented outreach centres that double as a vaccination site and according to Dr Sowmya Shree of Mobile Tribal Health Unit, one outreach centre each has been set up for three hamlets in Hunsur where there are a total of 54 haadis.
She said that in the beginning, the turnout was less since along with apprehensions, most individuals from the community used to leave for work in the fields and into the forest early in the morning. "To address this, we started opening up the vaccination early in the morning. So our centres are now running from morning 7 to 9 and followed by the regular session in the day," she said.
Along with this, ASHA workers, tribal department officials, taluk officials have also engaged in sensitizing tribals about the advantage of vaccination, she said adding that the help of religious leaders who are influential among the tribals are also helping a lot.
Reproductive & Child Health Officer of Mysuru Dr L Ravi spearheading vaccination in Mysuru said that sensitizing misconceptions about vaccine after-effects was one aspect they identified and tackled which turned effective in promoting the inoculation among the tribal population. He also added that hesitancy is much prevalent among those living in interior areas since they are hesitant towards modern medicine and believe that COVID-19 will not strike them.
Meanwhile, tribal activist Shailendra said that the response to vaccines has been good on the ground and added among those aged below 45, the enthusiasm is higher. "Once the vaccination is opened up for those aged below 45, we will see more and more people turning up for inoculation," he said.
However, Shailendra pointed out that along with the ones seeing a good response, there are many hamlets such as Solapura, Metikuppe and others in HD Kote taluk and Shankarapura, Dasanpura and others in Hunsur taluk where the inoculation is yet to pick up the pace.
Nanjangud reports high vaccination coverage
Nanjangud taluk in Mysuru may have been in the news during the first wave of COVID19 after it reported one of the then highest clusters from a pharma company, but now it has emerged as one of the fastest in COVID19 vaccination delivery.
According to data from authorities, Nanjangud taluk alone has recorded 47984 people getting vaccinated second only to Mysuru city in the district.
Notably, a Primary Health Centres in Hedathale village of Nanjangud registered a record 615 inoculations on Saturday while the PHC in Devanur recorded 450 individuals getting vaccinated on a single day. It might be recalled that the daily target for vaccination at PHCs is 100 and often urban PHCs alone cross the figure.
Speaking on this, Dr Shiraz Ahmed, Mysuru DTO and in-charge for Nanjangud district vaccination said that it is the teamwork of both health care workers and revenue and other departments that are yielding such a good response in the taluk despite being a rural area.