Kashmir Villages Draw Positive Response On Night Vaccination Drive

In three isolated villages of Bandipora in north Kashmir, healthcare workers have initiated a night vaccination campaign against Covid, where males normally go out to graze cattle during the day and return in the evening. Dr Masrat Iqbal, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Bandipora, said the night vaccination drive has received a positive response from villagers because it eliminates the need for them to travel to vaccination centres.

According to Dr Masrat Iqbal, the vaccination programme is targeted at achieving a 100% Vaccination target in the north Kashmir district.

As most males in these villages only return in the evening, three villages — Kudara, Sumlar, and Chandaji – have been picked for the 7-11 pm slot. He said that instead of coming to them, they modified their tactic and planned to arrive at their doorstep at night for their convenience. To visit these three communities, health workers must walk many kilometres and stay overnight in order to vaccinate the residents.

According to the BMO, they would not have been able to vaccinate a big portion of the district's population if night vaccination had not been implemented. He said that 370 individuals in the 45-plus age group were vaccinated during the night vaccination drive out of a total of 500.

In the next few days, the remaining people will be vaccinated as well, bringing the total vaccination percentage to 100 percent, stated Dr Masrat.

They will also vaccinate them after they have completed their registration. As per Dr Masrat, about 1,000 inhabitants in the three villages are between the ages of 18 and 45. Villagers have responded positively to the night vaccination effort, because people felt safe as they did not have to come out and expose themselves to the deadly virus.

He stated that locals were at first hesitant to be vaccinated owing to rumours, but after good counselling and education, they decided to be vaccinated. The remote Weyan hamlet in Bandipora district was the first village in India to vaccinate its whole adult population against the pandemic.