Centre collaborates with WHO, UNICEF to accelerate vaccination among tribals

New Delhi, July 16: In bid to accelerate the vaccination drive across the tribals, the Modi government launched a nationwide campaign. The aim will be on discarding the vaccination myths, misconceptions and fear about vaccines by involving traditional leaders and local influencers.

 

 

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (TRIFED), under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in association with UNICEF and WHO will implement the campaign, which started from Bastar in Chhattisgarh and Mandla in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. According to an official release, the campaign will also aim at creating awareness on vaccination among around 50 lakh tribals and forest dwellers across states. Under the campaign, more than 50,000 villages in 309 districts will be covered.

 

 

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said that to ensure that the third wave does not impact the tribal areas, it has become very important for us to vaccinate the tribal people. "We have been able to overcome two challenging waves, gained experience and are determined to stop the third wave. We have a role to play in rebuilding a new society, free of COVID infection. The campaign hopes to make our Van Dhan Vikas Kendras and villages to be the first in respective states to be declared COVID free and free of all restrictions," minister said.

 

 

The minister explained that the campaign will be implemented with the help of traditional village headsmen, SHGs, and ground-level workers in villages and the Van Dhan Kendras will become the focal points. Tribal communities should not only remain safe and healthy during the pandemic but should also be able to continue their livelihood activities, this is the objective of the campaign, he added.

 

“COVID-19 has exacerbated issues of access to sanitation, nutrition and health services in the tribal areas making the people more vulnerable,” UNICEF India Representative, Dr. Yasmin Haque said, adding that, this campaign is aligned with UNICEF’s equity approach to survival, growth and development of children. We are proud to be associated with this campaign, which focuses on vaccine equity and engages with communities that risk being left behind.

 

 

The India Representative of WHO, Dr, Roderico Ofrin said that vaccine offers indemnity against covid virus and reaching ‘hard to reach’ people should be the focus of any vaccination drive. Communication plays a vital role in the success of the vaccination drive and it is very appropriate that such an awareness campaign is being launched for the tribal communities today, he added. As part of the outreach, local role models and champions in the community will be used as influencers to convince community members.