TIRUCHY: When Dr Sampath and his hospital staff visited Sembur village in Pachamalai Hills on May 17, he was greeted by an unlikely sight. Assuming that the medical team had arrived for conducting a fever camp, residents of the tribal village fled their houses and went into the fields, fearing that they might land in hospitals.
Despite making several attempts, the health officials are unable to assemble the tribals for fever camps, vaccination drive and health check-up. The 16 villages have an overall population of above 4,000 out of which over 800 are above the age of 45. In the last few weeks, despite detecting as many as 85 positive cases in these villages, the Health Department has managed to collect only 170 samples and vaccinate 225 people till date.
“We are taking all efforts to create awareness of the situation and curb the spread of the virus. But, most of these efforts have not been very productive as the villagers are reluctant to get tested or vaccinated,” said Dr Sampath, working at the Top Sengattupatti Primary Health Centre atop of the Pachamalai Hill.
In the last two weeks, the Health Department conducted two vaccination drives at various villages. It could vaccinate only 200 people above the age of 45 and only 25 in the 18-44 age group. This is despite having 300 vials in their hands.
“As the villagers were not ready to come to the camps, we decided to do it at their doorstep. But, we were not able to convince them and people started going running into the fields anticipating our visit. So, despite having additional vials, we returned the vaccine to the department,” said a department worker who visited the houses for vaccination.
According to health workers, fear of side-effects and death were some of the major reasons for the hesitation to take the jab. The fear of loss of livelihood if they tested positive was the reason behind hesitation to take a test.
K Banumathu, president of the Thenpuranadu panchayat requested Revenue Department and the district administration to intervene and conduct mass camps to prevent the tribal villages from becoming a major hotspot. Collector S Sivarasu said he will personally visit these villages and take stock of the situation.