State village panchayat turns role model for 100 per cent vaccination

Yadgir: Tinthani village panchayat in Karnataka's Yadgir district has been declared as the first village panchayat in the state to achieve 100 per cent Covid vaccination. All 4,200 eligible persons have been vaccinated within its limits in an all-out effort. Yadgir district is considered one of the most backward districts in Karnataka. However, the district administration was able to achieve what the authorities of most developed regions, including surrounding district of Bengaluru, could not achieve.

The district administration is preparing to announce one more village panchayat shortly and many more are working with rapid speed and motivation. The carrying out of the vaccination programme is being seen as a matter of pride for local leaders and government officials concerned.

Yadgir is highly under-developed and the literacy rate is also very low. There were misconceptions about side effects, long-term damage regarding the vaccination as resistance to vaccination was very high. It was then that the District Commissioner, R. Raagapriya, decided to have one inspirational gram panchayat to motivate others to come forward for the vaccination programme.

Tinthani village panchayat was selected and all revenue authorities and tehsildars were sent along with the health department staff. With door-to- door campaigns 95 per cent of the people were vaccinated. Outreach programmes were held to reach out to the people. The staff who were already vaccinated already could deal with misconceptions citing their own example.

Raagapriya told IANS that with continuous review and motivation the objective of vaccination was achieved. "Most of the government officials do not need monetary benefits, they want recognition from the top. We recognized their efforts by giving certificates and facilitating them. After the success in Tinthani gram panchayat, all other panchayats in three taluks of Yadgir district are really motivated for effective implementation of vaccination programme. We are planning to achieve 100 per cent vaccination in the entire district before the emergence of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic," she said. "My next mission is eradicating child malnourishment in the district," she stressed.