Vaccination teams fly to Himachal’s remotest village Bara Bhangal
Himachal Pradesh has achieved 100% vaccination in terms of the targeted population as per the 2011 census—the first state in the country to do so. However, many people in remote areas of the state are yet to get the jabs.
A vaccination team flew over Dhauladhar Range of Himalayas on Wednesday to reach the isolated Bara Bhangal village of Kangra district to inoculate the left-out population in remote areas.
The medical team was airlifted in a state government helicopter in the morning.
Himachal Pradesh has achieved 100% vaccination in terms of the targeted population as per the 2011 census—the first state in the country to do so. However, many people in remote areas of the state are yet to get the jabs.
Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur had recently ordered a mop-up campaign to vaccinate the remaining population.
Located deep in Himalayas at the height of 2,575 metres, in Baijnath sub-division of Kangra, Bara-Bhangal village is one of the remotest hamlets in the state.
Deputy commissioner Dr Nipun Jindal and chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Gurdarshan Gupta accompanied the medical team. “It is a challenge to reach the village as it is not connected with road. So, the state government provided its helicopter to conduct the vaccination camp,” said Dr Jindal.
Chief medical officer Dr Gupta said close to 100 people had been already given the jab. “We have sent another team with additional doses and the total number of people vaccinated will be known when the team returns tomorrow,” said Dr Gupta.
The village, having a population of around 700 persons, is accessible through a 70-km arduous trek. It takes two to three days to reach Bara Banghal on foot, either from Bir in Kangra or from Nayagran in Bharmour subdivision of Chamba.
The village remains cut off from the rest of the state in winters even as most of the residents migrate to the Bir village. However, many of them, mostly elders, stay behind in the village. Dr Jindal said many people had got the jabs at Bir but those who stay behind were yet to be vaccinated.