Patna: Health officials delivering vaccinations have been chased away from several villages in Bihar following rumours and misconceptions.
In some cases, the villagers also misbehaved with the health teams and attacked them.
In several villages of Bihar, the residents have been reluctant towards being vaccinated, fearing they would die if they did so. Most people were worried about who would take care of their families if they died after getting inoculated.
Another group of villagers say good quality vaccines have been exported to foreign countries while “sub-standard” vaccines were being supplied to them. Another rumour doing the rounds in the countryside is that vaccinations would make them “sterile”. Such rumours and misconceptions have dealt a severe blow to the continuing vaccination drive in the state.
A shocking incident was reported from a Dalit village in Khagaria district where the residents threw stones on the health officials’ vehicles when they had gone to convince them to take vaccines. Ultimately, they fled the scenes fearing for their lives.
As per the report, a vaccination camp had been organised at Punarwas Mushari village on Sunday. On getting information that the villagers are not coming forward to take the vaccines, a team of health officials reached the spot to convince the villagers. Seeing the officials, the women began protesting, saying “the people are falling sick after taking vaccine”. This led to an argument after which the villagers chased away the officials.
A similar incident was reported from Vishnupura village in Buxur district. The villagers told the health workers that they did not need vaccines as their village was virus-free. “We tried hard to convince the villagers about the benefits of vaccination but they were just not ready to listen to them,” primary health centre in-charge Dr Sudhir Kumar said.
The situation was the same in Saharsa district. “We are scared of taking vaccines since it is being said that the person dies after getting vaccinated,” a local youth Aman Kumar told local media. Another villager Nabodh Yadav lost his cool on being asked about why he was not taking the vaccine.
“It’s my choice. I have decided not to take the vaccine. Who will help my family if I died after taking the vaccine?” asked Yadav. Another villager Pranav Kumar said WhatsApp was allegedly flooded with messages about people dying after taking vaccines. “Why should we take vaccine then? Please explain,” he asked.
Local media reported that villagers from Parbatta village in Bhagalpur district strongly opposed the health team when they reached the village on Tuesday. The villagers told the health team that many of them faced health complications after taking the vaccines but no-one came to their help. “What is the point in taking the vaccines when many types of diseases occur even after that?” asked some villagers. Some women said they would become infertile after taking the vaccines.
More than 10 million people out of a total 104 million have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bihar since January this year.
