Nurses want vax drive suspended; lack of transport facilities, vaccination hesitancy cited as reasons

The programme was launched in the district a week ago with the target of vaccinating those due for the second dose and also all eligible beneficiaries by the month end.
For representational purpose. (File Photo | AP)
For representational purpose. (File Photo | AP)

ERODE: Village Health Nurses (VHNs) deployed in door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination drive, requested the State government to either provide them with transport and source help from other departments or suspend the programme. The programme was launched in the district a week ago with the target of vaccinating those due for the second dose and also all eligible beneficiaries by the month end.

The nurses complain that there was no support from other departments and also beneficiaries were reluctantto take the jab. "We face questions like will you cook for our family if we fall sick after taking the vaccine. Some people even ask us how much commission we get for each vaccine we administer. As the willingness of beneficiaries to get inoculated has decreased, we are facing such questions and abuses on a daily basis," said Malarkodi, general secretary of Tamilnadu Village Health Nurse Association.

The Tamilnadu Village Health Nurse Association pointed out that the Social Welfare, Revenue departments and local bodies staff were involved only in taking surveys of people who have taken the vaccine. They only get involved when mega vaccination camps are held, they said.

With transport arranged sparingly, the VHNs, who are paid Rs 18.500, shell out from their purses to meet expenses. Many nurses opined that the State government should have eradicate vaccine hesitancy before launching the programme. "After a vial is opened, we run from one place to another to find beneficiaries. Sometimes, we have to depend on our family members for travel ," they added.

Malarkodi added that nurses struggle to find toilets while travelling. “The Chief Minister has directed the DGP not to deploy women police personnel on bandobust duties. We hope he understands our problem also and takes suitable action," she said.

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