SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2024
Team Herald
VELIM: COVID vaccination drives that were conducted in various villages in Salcete taluka received a good response prior to the State government’s ‘Tika Utsav’ that abruptly discontinued the momentum of these vaccination drives leaving some panchayat sarpanchas fuming.
Some Salcete coastal and rural villages were to conduct these vaccination drives for three days from Monday, May 24 to Wednesday, May 26 but Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jyoti Kumari ordered to cancel the vaccination drive scheduled for Wednesday, May 26.
Some sarpanchas like Ambelim sarpanch Denica Correia and others immediately relayed their villagers of the change in plans. However, the order of discontinuation upsets Varca sarpanch Crosly Charlton Lourenco and former Colva sarpanch Anthony ‘Mam’ Fernandes.
Correia said, “The COVID vaccination drive in Ambelim panchayat was to be held on Wednesday, May 26 and Thursday, May 27 at St Xavier’s high school, Velim for those aged 45 years and above. People are informed that the vaccination now is only on Wednesday at the same venue.”
Assolna sarpanch Xavier Almeida revealed that the drive was supposed to be held on Wednesday and Thursday but now only on Wednesday as Thursday has been cancelled.
However, the drive held at Infant Jesus high school, Colva administered 200 individuals, approximately 100 each on Monday and Tuesday, said former Colva sarpanch Fernandes.
At Varca on Monday 44 individuals aged 44 years and above were vaccinated, 73 individuals were vaccinated on Tuesday said Varca sarpanch Lourenco.
In Carmona, on Monday 44 individuals—18 male and 26 female—were vaccinated, whereas on Tuesday 44 individuals—19 male and 25 females—were administered at the Sacred Heart of Jesus high school, Carmona, informed sarpanch Allwyn Jorge.
In Velim, a total of 205 individuals aged 45 years and above received their first jab at the two-day vaccination drive held at St Xavier’s school, Velim with 95 individuals being vaccinated on Monday and 110 individuals vaccinated on Tuesday.
Cavelossim sarpanch Dionizio ‘Denis’ Dias divulged, “On Monday, 43 individuals were vaccinated whereas on Tuesday 22 people were vaccinated. The next vaccination drive will be now held on Friday in Cavelossim.”
