Kusumjore panchayat is the first one in Nuapada district to achieve 100% first dose Covid vaccination for above-45 age group. "The credit goes to Udit Pratap Singh Jyoti, the young Sarpanch," said Sinapali BDO Sadanand Naik. When the vaccination programme started in the second week of April, people of only one village came forward to get the first dose. “It was discouraging because the panchayat is located on the border of Chhattisgarh and visit of people between villages located in the border of two States never stopped even during the pick of pandemic,” said the Sarpanch.

Vaccination was first started in village Bamniguda, where the people were little aware, but it didn’t proceed further as most people resisted in other villages,” he added. Only 110 people took the first shot in the first phase against total 708 in the age group of 45 above. Kusumjor panchayat has five villages, Kusumjor, Bamniguda, Kaseipani, Haldikhol and Nuaguda. “It was too difficult to convince the people. 

They would ask us peculiar questions like would you be responsible in case anyone dies. Some statements were even more irritating like the Government has sent you to kill us; we are fine; why should we go for vaccine, etc.

 Thus, we decided to motivate people through door-to-door visit,” said the Sarpanch. Medical Officer in charge Tarakanta Dash and Ayush Doctor Bhairab Panigrahi of Sinapali CHC along with BDO, Sinapali, and Bibekananda Mahananda, DPO, Nuapada, worked in a team spirit to motivate the the people.

The second phase of vaccination started eight days ago for the remaining 598, but at the end the total number reached 731. “We are thankful to the ASHAs, AWWs, ANMs and malaria personnel who worked with full commitment,” said Dr Panigrahi.