On Friday, the Cuttack district administration threatened to hold back the salary of healthcare and Anganwadi workers who did not turn up for COVID vaccination by the 10th February deadline.

The municipal commissioner, public health officer, chief district medical and district social welfare officers along with the collector Bhabani Shankar Chayaniin a letter to the principal of SCB Medical College, had asked them not to draw the salary or remuneration or stipend of healthcare workers for February if they are not willing to take the vaccine. He wrote in the letter that the percentage of vaccination in Cuttack district is the lowest in the state causing a great embarrassment.

Cuttack is at the lowest among 30 districts in Odisha with a vaccination coverage of 53.9%. It is very far behind the state average of 69.6%. Cuttack has 29,624 healthcare workers, the highest registered workers, out of whom 15,965 workers have taken the vaccine till now.

A doctor on anonymity said that since the vaccination initiative is voluntary, forcing or pressuring anyone to take it is disagree able, even though everyone should take it. He has taken it but if someone is hesitant, he or she must have the freedom to choose whether to take it or not.

Additional chief secretary (health) Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra said that the districts are trying to improve the coverage by reassuring the healthcare workers to receive the vaccine before the 10th February deadline.

Mohapatra wrote to the district collectors and municipal commissioners on Saturday, when immunization of frontline workers will begin as part of Phase II, the director general of police, district collectors, senior officers and SPs should also take the vaccine on the 1st day itself to boost the morale and confidence among those people who are still worried about the vaccine. The state targets to vaccinate over 24,500 people on Saturday.

Source: ET Healthworld