J-K: Indian Army ensures COVID-19 vaccination for villagers near LoC

Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 18 (ANI): In a bid to ensure that no one is left out of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, a team of Indian Army and health workers reached Kerani village, the last village near the Line of Control (LoC), crossing the difficult hilly terrains of the region and flowing rivers on foot, to conduct door-to-door inoculation.

The Indian Army is collaborating with the Union Territory administration to vaccinate people living in far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

Captain Sadik Arman, an Army doctor, said that the entire population of the Kerani village has been vaccinated with the first dose.

“We came very close to the Line of Control to inoculate those who cannot come to the cities to get vaccinated. The area is hilly and the terrain is difficult, therefore we came here to vaccinate all, especially those who are aged and disabled, and could not come to the vaccination centre,” he told ANI.

The Army doctor said that the Indian Army has also been conducting a lot of awareness campaigns regarding the COVID-19 safety protocols and the vaccination.

“It is the result of those efforts that the awareness about the vaccine in the area is quite high. We have, therefore, received a great response from the people of this village”, he added.

Lauding the initiative, residents of Kerani village expressed gratitude to the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir government for the drive.

Mohd Hussain, a beneficiary from the village said, “I am thankful to the Indian Army for coming to our area which is the last village near LoC and conducting door to door vaccination.”

Lauding the Indian Army’s initiative of walking for 3 hours to their village, Shama, a local said, “We are very thankful to them for coming with a medical team to vaccinating the old and young people of our village. Most of us received our first vaccine shot today.”

After receiving his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, Mohd Sadiq said, “All the eligible people of the village have been vaccinated.”

Another local Parveen Akhtar said that doctors do not visit their village and it is a praiseworthy effort of the Indian Army to come with a team of doctors to vaccinate them. (ANI)