Vaccination has to go to the very doorsteps of people in the Chars

Former health and planning welfare minister, AFM Ruhul Haque, said vaccines must be taken to the very doorsteps of people in the char regions, as there are many social and economic hurdles to vaccination in such remote areas.

"However, the government has taken initiatives to produce vaccines in the country as well as ensure the availability of vaccines to vaccinate its marginal populations," he said at a views exchange meeting on Tuesday.

The Shamunnay and National Char Alliance (NCA) arranged the virtual event, "Vaccination Rights of People in remote Char areas".

The former health minister said previously there was hardly any awareness of Covid-19 in villages, but with the second wave, there was greater awareness among villagers who lost relatives to the virus. Now village people are flocking to health centres to get vaccinated.  

He further said, "It is doubtful whether the infection rate will continue to decline. It seems to increase as everything is opened up.  Now the issue is how much we can deal with and handle."

Atiur Rahman, chairman of Shamunnay and founder of NCA, said there was no alternative to mass inoculation to revive the country's economy and a sound vaccination policy will be an important issue in the upcoming days, though the government is providing vaccines in the face of various challenges.  

He said separate plans should be made to conduct vaccination programs for people in the char areas. It is a big challenge to reach people in these remote areas immediately upon getting the vaccine, all the while preserving it at the right temperature.  Government, non-government, and social organisations have to work together in this regard, he added.

Hasin Jahan, country director of WaterAid Bangladesh, said the eagerness of char people to get vaccinated has increased more than before and health workers have to go to the chars and visit people to confirm their vaccination. For this, there is a great need to make a real, agreed upon strategic approach.

Ramesh Singh, country director of CARE Bangladesh, said, "None of us are safe now because of the Covid-19 pandemic and a significant number of people living in the chars remain outside the vaccination programme.  

Government and non-government organisations need to work together to ensure that the people of chars are vaccinated, he added.

Zinia Sharmin, a Shamunnay researcher, presented a survey conducted on 34 char areas to fully understand the real scenario of vaccination which has to reach people in the chars of Bangladesh.

SM Manzoor Rashid, senior manager at World Vision, and Sayeed Mahmud Riadh, head of programme, (Coastal and Char Context), for Concern Worldwide, also spoke on the occasion.

Representatives of the Char Alliance from Kurigram, Rajbari, Lalmonirhat, Patuakhali, and Gaibandha districts, and representatives of Friendship, GUK, SKS, Unnayan Sangha, and Ecco-cooperation attended the meeting.