Health workers ‘reluctant’ to take shots
Anantnag: On Saturday when the drive for Covid-19 vaccine administration was launched in Kashmir, most of the health workers refused to take the shot in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The behavior of the health workers puzzled top official who believe these health workers did not take the shot out of fear.
To administer Covid-19 vaccine to some 4,000 health workers, the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir had chosen 90 locations across Valley.
While Health workers in other locations got jabs without any disturbance, but in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district majority of the health workers showed reluctance in getting these shots.
Sources said that authorities had set up two locations in the district. 100 each health workers were supposed to get vaccine shots at Government Medical College and Sub-District Hospital Bijbehara respectively.
Insiders said that out of 100, only 27 health workers showed willingness and were administered the vaccine while only 29 health workers were administered vaccine at Sub-District Hospital Bijbehara.
They said that out of those 27 persons who were administered vaccine only 6 were doctors. “They are frontline workers with top-priority access to the Covid-19 vaccine, but they are refusing to take it. I am shocked. I believe, they are doing this out of fear,” Chief Medical Officer Anantnag, Dr Muktar Ahmed, said.
A medico who willingly took the vaccine shot said that the scientific evidence is clear regarding the safety and efficacy of the vaccines after trials. “May be we can say skepticism remains there.”
Another health worker suggested that authorities can persuade reluctant workers by using instructional videos and ensure them about the safety of the vaccine.
Sources said that at some other locations too, health workers declined to take the vaccine.
Principal Government Medical College Anantnag Dr Showkat Jeelani said that he is surprised and is on way to these hospitals to ascertain the facts. (KNT)
KV News
