Arunachal Officials Trek 9 Hours To 14,000 Ft To Vaccinate 16 Grazers

Sixteen grazers of a remote village in Arunachal Pradesh could not make it to a COVID-19 vaccination camp in May. Almost two months later, health officials trekked for more than nine hours to reach over 14,000 ft above sea level on Monday to vaccinate them in Lugthang village.

The grazers could not make it to the vaccination camp organised on May 19 at Domstang in Twang district of the state.

The health officials then decided to go themselves. The team trekked from the nearest motorable road at a place called Thingbu Hydel to reach their destination.

After reaching the spot, the health officials held a short meeting with the villagers the next morning the 16 grazers were inoculated by the district reproductive and child health officer Rinchin Neema. Senior veterinary officer Thutan Tashi gave free medicines for diarrhoea, deworming and other ailments for the livestock as well.

Luguthang is close to the border with Tibet and is aerially 30 km from Twang. All 10 families, comprising 65 people in the village, are yak grazers.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu praised the frontline workers for getting the vaccine to remote communities.

Incessant rain threatened to delay the trip but Deputy Commissioner Sang Phuntsok was determined to keep the date with the 16 "left out" grazers.

"A vaccination camp was organised at Domtsang on May 19. The grazers could not attend the vaccination camp. We decided to reach their village to vaccinate all the grazers who left during the camp. The weather played a major hurdle for us because of the incessant rain but we were determined to reach their place," said a health official.