Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya's tweet enthuses health workers in Kinnaur

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 12

A video tweeted by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, which shows healthcare workers walking through snow in Kinnaur to reach a school to vaccinate children aged 15 to 18 years, has boosted their morale.

“We felt happy and inspired by the gesture of the Union Health Minister to tweet our video,” said Dr Kishen Thangi, Medical Officer of the Primary Health Centre, Moorang in Kinnaur. Dr Thangi was a member of the vaccination team that laboured its way through around one feet of snow to reach the nearby government school to vaccinate teenagers. He had shot the video to share it with the Block Medical Officer and the National Health Mission (NHM). “The video had come out well and I thought it would be appreciated. Yet, it came as a surprise to see the video being tweeted by the Health Minister. The entire team felt happy on learning about it,” he said.

“We are used to living and working in snow but it’s never easy to walk through it, especially in steep hills. It’s of course not easy. There was no transport. Each member of the team first had to come to the Primary Health Centre, Moorang, and then walk downhill to reach the school,” he said.

Chief Medical Officer, Kinnaur, Dr Sonam Negi said, “Local people are hardworking. They are used to doing their duties in harsh weather conditions and a tough terrain. Nevertheless, appreciation from none other than the Union Health Minister is a pat on the back,” she said.

Besides Kinnaur, healthcare workers in higher reaches of Shimla and Kullu also braved snow and bad weather to carry out the vaccination drive. “Our teams walked a few kilometres in snow to vaccinate children in their schools at Khara Pathar and Barthata,” said Dr Suneesh Chauhan, Block Medical Officer, Jubbal Kotkhai in Shimla district. “We are just doing our duty, but it feels good when your efforts are appreciated,” said Jai Kala, a woman health worker who was part of the team.

Besides healthcare workers, the ground staff of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited has also been braving snow to restore electricity supply to far-flung areas of the state. A department team walked several kilometres through over three feet of snow to restore power supply to Chopal subdivision two days ago.

Video shows team walking through snow

Dr Kishen Thangi, Medical Officer of the Primary Health Centre at Moorang in Kinnaur, had shot a video showing his team labouring its way through about one feet of snow to reach a government school to vaccinate teenagers. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has tweeted the video.

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