GUMLA: The sporting fraternity in Simdega district is playing a stellar role in creating awareness regarding Covid-19 vaccination in the rural belt.
For instance, national-level woman wrestler Pratima Tirkey motivated 20 villagers in her hamlet to take the jabs at the Slagaposh health sub-centre on Wednesday.
She also received her first dose at this centre.
Tirkey hails from Koromia Mahatotoli village under Thethaitangar block in Simdega.
Similarly, a former wrestler and the vice-president of Simdega Wrestling Association, Balbir Prasad, took the shot a few days ago along with four local wrestlers to encourage other players to also take the jab.
International hockey players — Sangeeta Kumari and Sushma Kumari — and national hockey players — Betan Dungdung, Seema Kumari and Reshmi Soreng — and international football player Pratiksha Lakra, too, have been doing trying to reduce vaccine hesitancy in their respective neighbourhoods.
Hockey Simdega president Manoj Konbegi and treasurer Kamleshwar Manjhi have been instrumental in convincing many residents — including parents of several hockey players in Karangagudi village — to get their shots in recent weeks.
Konbegi said, “Over 700 people have got their jabs during a four-day vaccination camp in the village.” He added that the entire sports fraternity has come together to raise awareness through different means to increase vaccine coverage.
“Players and sportspersons are turning up in great numbers at vaccination centres.
Seeing them, their relatives and other villagers are getting encouraged,” he said.
Konbegi’s brother Dr Siddharth, a scientist at the Bose Institute, Kolkata, too, has encouraged over 150 persons to take the vaccine last month.
He said, “I was about to get the shot in our institute.
But as I came to know that residents in my village are dithering from taking the jab, I decided to come down to the village and take the first dose here in order to convince others to also get vaccinated.” Hailing the contributions of the sporting fraternity, deputy commissioner Sushant Gaurav said: “Fifteen hundred people have got inoculated in Konbegi village within a short span of time.
This shows how celebrities and other important figures can motivate people to take the jab.”