<p>A Covid vaccination drive has begun in Nagada village of Odisha's Jajpur district after reports around a fortnight ago that many tribals were suffering from fever in the backward hilltop villages that had hogged headlines for a series of child malnutrition deaths in 2016.</p>.<p>The district administration kick-started the drive in the village as a precautionary measure even as no Covid case has been detected in the tribal hamlet yet. The camp was organised at the Tala Nagada Anganwadi centre.</p>.<p>It had set a target of vaccinating around 250 adults -- 200 in Nagada and 50 from neighbouring hamlets Tumuni and Guhiasal.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/three-studies-one-result-vaccines-point-the-way-out-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-1002704.html" target="_blank">Three studies, one result: Vaccines point the way out of the Covid-19 pandemic</a></strong></p>.<p>A total of 176 tribals or 70.4 per cent of the target got the first jab in a peaceful and smooth manner on Monday, of which 106 are men and the rest women, officials said.</p>.<p>Though the residents of Nagada were initially reluctant to take the vaccine and avoided coming to the camp, they later cooperated, said Sukinda, community health centre, superintendent, Jayadev Nanda.</p>.<p>"We persuaded them with great difficulties by convincing them that nothing harmful will happen if they take the jab. After a great effort by the medical staff, they decided to take the vaccine at the camp," Nanda said.</p>.<p>Desa Pradhan, 28, of Tala Nagada village was the first person to take the jab at the camp, agreeing to take the shot after much persuasion by Nanda.</p>.<p>The official himself administered the vaccine on Pradhan, following which others agreed to go to the booth.</p>.<p>"I was scared before taking the vaccine," Pradhan said. "However, when the doctor 'babu' gave me assurance that he would administer the vaccine to me, I built confidence in myself and agreed to take it."</p>.<p>Situated on a hilltop in Sukinda block, around 100 km north of Bhubaneswar, Nagada is divided into three parts -- Tala Nagada, Upara Nagada and Majhi Nagada.</p>.<p>Around 63 households comprising 320 people belonging to the Juanga tribe reside in the three hamlets. Juanga is one of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the state.</p>.<p>After reports of fever two weeks ago, a special medical team was pressed in to conduct screening and health check-up of the inhabitants.</p>.<p>It had collected 51 blood samples from those suffering from fever. Five children were diagnosed with malaria, while 17 were found to have viral fever.</p>.<p>Last week, the district administration had launched an awareness programme to educate the tribals about Covid-19, the use of masks and maintaining social distance as a precautionary measure against the virus.</p>
<p>A Covid vaccination drive has begun in Nagada village of Odisha's Jajpur district after reports around a fortnight ago that many tribals were suffering from fever in the backward hilltop villages that had hogged headlines for a series of child malnutrition deaths in 2016.</p>.<p>The district administration kick-started the drive in the village as a precautionary measure even as no Covid case has been detected in the tribal hamlet yet. The camp was organised at the Tala Nagada Anganwadi centre.</p>.<p>It had set a target of vaccinating around 250 adults -- 200 in Nagada and 50 from neighbouring hamlets Tumuni and Guhiasal.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/three-studies-one-result-vaccines-point-the-way-out-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-1002704.html" target="_blank">Three studies, one result: Vaccines point the way out of the Covid-19 pandemic</a></strong></p>.<p>A total of 176 tribals or 70.4 per cent of the target got the first jab in a peaceful and smooth manner on Monday, of which 106 are men and the rest women, officials said.</p>.<p>Though the residents of Nagada were initially reluctant to take the vaccine and avoided coming to the camp, they later cooperated, said Sukinda, community health centre, superintendent, Jayadev Nanda.</p>.<p>"We persuaded them with great difficulties by convincing them that nothing harmful will happen if they take the jab. After a great effort by the medical staff, they decided to take the vaccine at the camp," Nanda said.</p>.<p>Desa Pradhan, 28, of Tala Nagada village was the first person to take the jab at the camp, agreeing to take the shot after much persuasion by Nanda.</p>.<p>The official himself administered the vaccine on Pradhan, following which others agreed to go to the booth.</p>.<p>"I was scared before taking the vaccine," Pradhan said. "However, when the doctor 'babu' gave me assurance that he would administer the vaccine to me, I built confidence in myself and agreed to take it."</p>.<p>Situated on a hilltop in Sukinda block, around 100 km north of Bhubaneswar, Nagada is divided into three parts -- Tala Nagada, Upara Nagada and Majhi Nagada.</p>.<p>Around 63 households comprising 320 people belonging to the Juanga tribe reside in the three hamlets. Juanga is one of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the state.</p>.<p>After reports of fever two weeks ago, a special medical team was pressed in to conduct screening and health check-up of the inhabitants.</p>.<p>It had collected 51 blood samples from those suffering from fever. Five children were diagnosed with malaria, while 17 were found to have viral fever.</p>.<p>Last week, the district administration had launched an awareness programme to educate the tribals about Covid-19, the use of masks and maintaining social distance as a precautionary measure against the virus.</p>