10 villages achieve 100% Covid vaccination; finds mention in PM’s Mann Ki Baat

Ten villages in Tuensang, Mokokchung, Zunheboto, Dimapur and Kiphire have achieved 100% vaccination against Covid-19, amidst general hesitation caused by misapprehension, fear and ignorance .

Disclosing this to Nagaland Post Sunday, State immunisation officer Dr Ritu Thurr informed that the record was achieved in the following villages- Yali in Tuensang district; Moalenden and Longsemdang in Mokokchung district; Lhuvishe, Phuye old village, Sapotami, Ghukiye, Tichipami villages in Zunheboto district; Aoyimkum village in Dimapur district and Nutsü village in Kiphire district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing his monthly Mann ki Baat broadcast on Sunday made a mention of the first three villages in Nagaland achieving 100% vaccination. “I would like to urge you and all my brothers and sisters in the village to dispel fear, if any,” and mentioned Weyan village in Bandipora district of Kashmir, and three Nagaland villages that have achieved 100% vaccination for people above 18 years of age.

Dr. Thurr congratulated the ten villages, Nagaland State Rural Livelihood Mission (NSRLM) staff, health workers, SHGs, village councils and all  involved in making the vaccination campaign successful in these villages. He also said that vaccines were the only preventive tool against the pandemic at this juncture and urged upon public to trust the vaccine, come forward and take the jab without any hesitation.

He also appealed to the people not to believe in rumours against the vaccines, especially those on social media. Dr. Thurr said the health and family welfare department in collaboration with WHO launched a community survey on Covid vaccination, which was going on for the last 15 days in all districts. He said for the state, a monitoring group in each district monitored the survey, while for WHO, monitoring survey was done by Rapid Response Team.

Dr. Thurr said community survey was done on four parameters– whether there was lack of awareness, operational gap, adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) and vaccine resistance– which was conducted  on 1,565 households so far.

Out of these, he said it was found that as per the check list, there was 44% vaccine resistance, 20% AEFI (apprehension about post vaccination side effect), 4% lack of awareness and 16% operational gap where some health workers could not reach the site for vaccination. He reminded everyone that vaccination reduced mortality and therefore there was no reason why people should remain unvaccinated just because of the wrong messages in social media.

So far, he said Kiphire and Tuensang recorded the lowest vaccination rate, while Kohima and Dimapur showed a better response as per the population.

Meanwhile, chief secretary J Alam congratulated the people of ten villages that recorded 100% vaccination and those authorities involved, workers and volunteers who carried out the vaccination drive successfully. Speaking to this correspondent, Alam termed it as a very encouraging sign which gave hope that the vaccination target would be met soon. He stressed that vaccination was the only way to fight Covid-19 and help the State ward off the pandemic and death.