No mountain too high to vaccinate snow-marooned Himachal villagers

Shimla, Jan 16 One year ago today, India set out on the challenging journey of vaccinating its massive 1.38 billion-strong population against Covid-19 and it takes more than just physical strength to administer vaccines to elderly villagers, especially eligible children, existing in harsh weather conditions, and the onset of a third wave, on the other side of the lofty mountains of Himachal Pradesh.

It also takes grit and determination and both are in abundance amidst the health workers, who are trudging the snow-clad mountains to vaccinate the villagers in some of the most remote villages.

Unfazed by the harsh weather conditions, the healthcare workers are vaccinating children between 15-18 years of age and people above the age of 60 years at their doorsteps by navigating through snow-clad mountains.

"The snow-laden paths may look charming, but they are very slippery and harsh," remarked Kavita Negi, a healthcare worker in Chitkul, the last inhabited village in Kinnaur district near the India-China border.

Slinging blue vaccine boxes over their shoulders, Kavita along with other healthcare workers was on a two-hour trek down and up to remote villages.

Last week's moderate to heavy snowfall cut off the road network to several remote villages and hamlets for several days largely in Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Chamba, Kullu, Mandi and Shimla districts.

The Press Information Bureau of India has released an inspiring video where healthcare workers, trudging through snow-laden paths, are visiting villages for the vaccine shots.

Likewise, a video tweeted by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya shows healthcare workers walking through snow in Kinnaur to reach a school to vaccinate children aged 15 to 18 years.

It's hard work but he is determined to protect the children. "Since the last heavy snowfall on January 8, we have been providing vaccine to children in schools," Block Medical Officer Tenzin Norbu, who is posted in Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti which is about 350 km from the state capital Shimla, told over phone.

He said the healthcare workers have to wade through over a feet of snow for hours, or days, to reach remote government schools to vaccinate students, who were also facing problems to reach the school owing to piling of snow on the paths.

Today

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