Covid vaccination drive in Odisha's Nagada from June 28

JAJPUR: As a precautionary measure, the district administration will kick-start a vaccination drive in Nagada village from Monday though no Covid case has yet been detected in the tribal hamlet. Two weeks back, there were reports of many tribals of Nagada suffering from fever following which a special medical team was pressed in to conduct screening and health check-up of the inhabitants of the village.

The team collected a total of 51 blood samples from the tribals suffering from fever. While five children were diagnosed with Malaria, 17 were found to have 'viral fever'. 

As there were no Covid-like symptoms among the fever-stricken tribals, they were given necessary medicines and all of them recovered.

Medical officer of Sukinda community health centre (CHC) Dr Jayadev Nanda said, “No one from Nagada village was found to be Covid positive. The health team is visiting the tribal village twice a week and keeping a close watch on the situation.”

He further said to keep the tribals safe from the deadly virus, a vaccination drive will be conducted during which around 200 adults of the village will be inoculated. Last week, the district administration had launched an awareness programme to educate the tribals about Covid-19, use of masks and maintaining social distance as a precautionary measure against the virus.

Situated on a hilltop under Sukinda block, Nagada is divided into three parts - Tala Nagada, Upara Nagada and Majhi Nagada. Around 63 households comprising 320 people belonging to the Juanga tribe reside in the three hamlets. Juanga is one of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups in the State. Nagada had hogged headlines for a series of child malnutrition deaths in 2016.