advertisement
Before you read this – here's a personal appeal. Our vaccine misinformation project targeting rural women in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam is high on costs and resources. Please support this special project, so we can continue to tell stories that matter.
Thank you – Team WebQoof
Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan
Jilajit, 55, is one of the many villagers in Uttar Pradesh's Bhadohi district, who complain that nobody in their community has any information about the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination drive.
Nearly 30 tribal and OBC families in Bhadohi's Wari village allege that neither ASHA workers nor the village head has visited them to create awareness about COVID-19.
"Neither did ASHA workers tell us nor did anyone else inform us about vaccination. We haven’t heard about it (vaccination) and we don’t step out of our house," says Gudiya, who had to drop out of school and now lives with the 12 members of her family in a small house.
The residents told this reporter that most of the villagers are daily wage labourers, but since the pandemic, their work has been impacted as they stay indoors to protect themselves.
While these families allege neglect, ASHA workers and the village head claim that despite repeated attempts, the community doesn't relent.
We spoke to two ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers in the village, who said that they were "tired" of explaining things to the members of the community.
"They simply refuse to listen to us," one of the ASHA workers said.
Even the village head Vipin Singh says that the people refuse to get vaccinated on account of not having an Aadhaar card.
"There are two-three Musahar communities here and ASHA workers have visited all of them. Even I went there personally and told them to get vaccinated."
The nearest primary healthcare centre (PHC) is three kilometres away from the village. Bhadohi has 21 government vaccination centres (as mentioned on the CoWIN dashboard). Additional vaccination drives are conducted separately.
Even health experts have argued that improving the pace of vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic and what's needed are community-led interventions that address vaccine hesitancy in the local context.
(Reporting: Kesha Devi for Video Volunteers)
(This story has been published as a part of The Quint’s COVID-19 fact-check project targeting rural women.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)