Civil society beats elected reps in mobilising people for Covid vaccination
The Union government has asked states to identify local heroes, influential figures within districts and villages who can motivate people to receive Covid vaccination and assign referral codes on CoWIN for such ambassadors.
Each individual they get vaccinated should be added to their tally at Covid vaccination centres (CVCs) through CoWIN. Thereafter, districts should ensure recognition at local level where certificates are provided for these ambassadors who ensure full coverage and their felicitation at special gram sabhas/panchayat meetings is done.
This needs to be done as part of the 'Har Ghar Dastak' (door-to-door) campaign that was started on November 3 and will continue till November 30.
When asked about trusted individuals and community leaders identified and appointed as ambassadors district-wise, officials told DH, civil society far exceeds elected representatives like MLAs.
Health officials across districts said those truly deserving such recognition are women's self-help groups, fishermen communities, NGOs like Rotary, Azim Premji Foundation, among others.
A Gadag district health official requesting anonymity, said, "Our health workers are rightful candidates for any such local recognition and felicitation. MLAs do camps only for publicity. They say they will mobilise 2,000 and finally some 300 turn up. Our ASHAs would have already enlisted them. They deserve the credit and any certificate of appreciation."
Dr M G Rama, Udupi District Immunisation Officer, said, "It is difficult to give recognition to individuals as it is the NGO groups that are working in the field on a war footing along side the health department in the district. Stree Shakthi groups, Rotary, Dr Giridhar Prabhu from an NGO, youth clubs, scouts and guides from schools, and fishermen associations, have been drawing up plans and mobilising people to go to CVCs."
Dr Basavaraj Hubbali, Bagalkot District Immunisation Officer, said, "The Azim Premji Foundation team have been mobilising public to go to CVCs. They have deployed volunteers even at the sub centre level who are overlooked by community health workers. We have 269 sub centres and the Foundation has selected population groups that are resistant and have deployed one volunteer per sub centre."
Dr P C Kumaraswamy, District Immunisation Officer, Chitradurga, also said any local recognition due was to be given to the district's ASHA workers and primary health centre officers.
"We had maximum resistance in Molkalmuru taluk with two lakh population. It is one of the most backward taluks of the district with highest interior areas. Earlier, we had 38 teams but we deployed another 30 members to this taluk to go house to house as a result of which coverage improved by 10%. Out of a target of 1.18 lakh we have covered 50% now," he said.
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