MYSURU: After health workers, especially Group D employees in government hospitals, hesitated to take the Covid-19 vaccination, anganwadi teachers and helpers are now shying away. They fear side-effects of the jab and this is causing a problem for the authorities to meet targets in all districts.
The health department has raised the issue with district-level vaccination coordination committees which asked the department of women and child welfare to convince the reluctant workers and helpers to come forward.
In Mysuru, there are around 2,860 anganwadi centres and each centre is managed by a teacher and helper. According to officials of the health department and women and child welfare department, a section of workers is not too keen on taking the jab. “The issue has been discussed at the district level. Senior officials of the zilla panchayat have asked officials of the women and child welfare department, including Child Development Project Officers at the taluk level, to convince them. However, many workers are still apprehensive,” explained a health officer and a CDPO who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Sunanda HS, district president, Anganwadi Workers Association, said, many workers are not ready to take the jab. “We’re not against voluntary vaccination. However, forcing workers to take the jab is not acceptable. When Covid-19 was at its peak, anganwadi workers didn’t get any facilities. Now, our workers are being asked to take the jab,” she said.
She claimed: “Our department’s officers are not forcing us to take the jab. But health department officials are putting pressure on us.” District vaccination officer Dr L Ravi, also district Reproductive and Child Health Officer said the health department has written to the district women and child welfare department to inform that it’s ready to conduct special vaccination drive for anganwadi teachers and helpers.