The Nirata community members feared the vaccine more than the virus. They shrank away at the sight of health workers. The medical team struggled to cope with the increasing number of Covid cases as the community members refused to cooperate. This is when Dr Rahul and his team of doctors of the Primary Health Centre (PHC) called for a meeting with the Living Water India team and sought their help to allay the fears of the vaccine from the people’s minds.
It was in October 2020 that Dr Rahul first met the team when Living Water India provided two latrines for the PHC, and Dr Rahul later shared, ‘the clinic saw major transformation with proper sanitation facilities.’ During this time, the team also worked side-by-side with its Partners and focused on Covid Relief Activities in the community. Through the distribution of medicines, temperature checks, oximeter and thermometer use, and other facilities like ambulance services, the team developed good relations with the Community Head, Local leaders and members. In the meeting held by the Medical Officers in January this year, they
expressed their admiration for the team’s response to the crisis and its impact.
Dr Rahul requested the team if they could assist the local authorities in creating awareness among the Nirata Community members to get immunized, as they faced stiff resistance from them who believed that vaccines cause impotence, serious side effects and could even kill. Confusion, fear and desperation loomed over their lives, yet they refused to accept the vaccine.
The only practical way to break this misinformation in people’s minds was by relying on already vaccinated people to spread the word. It required conversation through trusted groups. To promote the campaign, Living Water staff went door-to-door from one community to another, educating them about the benefits of getting immunized, explaining that they are already vaccinated and faced no health hazards. Their relentless efforts slowly started showing results as people changed their minds.
Dr Rahul shared, ‘the same people who closed their doors at our face have now started utilizing the Ambulance facilities to go to different centers to avail of the vaccination facility. Word spread fast among them and it helped eradicate the doubts about the vaccine from their minds. ’Dr Rahul continued, ‘the people shed their fear when they saw that the Living Water staff were free of any side effects from the vaccine. The people trusted their word and started coming forward to get vaccinated. This drive saved thousands of lives, and is getting
better!’
The major breakthrough came when one of the communities was declared 100% vaccinated! It is indeed commendable that the team was able to convince each member of Lawi to get fully vaccinated. The job was done as the results were open for all to see. Now more and more people from different communities are approaching us for help to get registered for vaccination. This would not have been possible without the intervention of the Living Water India staff, and the trust they earned through continuous interaction with the communities by
tirelessly helping them through the Covid Relief Work.’
Today, the Nirata community members are mostly vaccinated and life is almost back to normal. People work in the fields without fear. The Awareness Campaigns offered by the Living Water India team, helped the people overcome the fear of the vaccine and they gladly embraced the benefits of getting fully vaccinated.