The COVID-19 pandemic has lasted more than a year in the country. Various efforts have been carried out thoroughly and many parties cooperated. Starting from tightening regulations, monitoring habits, to administering mass vaccines.

The vaccination movement promoted by the government and the quantitative succession of citizens who have received vaccine services have indeed been seen in urban areas, but the numbers are inversely proportional in rural areas, especially in remote and isolated areas.

In Jambi, which has four National Parks, vaccination rates also contrast between urban and rural areas. In Jambi City, the achievement of COVID-19 vaccination is moving towards 70 percent, while in Kerinci Regency the vaccination rate until mid-October 2021 has only reached 30.87 percent or the lowest in Jambi Province.

Communication gaps, differences in understanding and difficulty of access make rural areas the largest contributor to the number of people who still not yet receive vaccine services.

Various efforts continue to be made to grow herd immunity even to remote and isolated villages. One of them is to be proactive about the vaccination, as has been done by the Merangin Resort Police and the Sector Police under it.

Air Liki Village and Air Liki Baru Village, which about 7.5 hour away from the center of the Merangin Regency Government during the dry season, are also the target for the proactive vaccination program in October 2021.

Merangin Police Chief, Irwan Andy Purnamawan, said the vaccination program to an isolated village which is directly adjacent to the Kerinci Seblat National Park (TNKS) and still without a telecommunication network signal is one of his priority programs. He hopes that all citizens without exception have the right to get vaccine services, even though they are far away and isolated.

Air Liki Village, which can only be reached by using special two-wheeled vehicles and motorboats, is located in Tabir Barat District. Police officers accompanying health workers from the Muara Kibul Health Center had to take a dirt road and follow a river from Ngaol Village to bring vaccine equipment.

Tired of traveling seemed to be cured when they were seeing the enthusiasm of the residents in welcoming the arrival of officers at the local Village Traditional Hall. The vaccination process under the security of the Merangin Resort Police and the Tabir Ulu Sector Police ran in an orderly manner, although with some limitations.

There are no vaccine cards with barcodes or smartphones with “PeduliLindungi” app. It is understandable since there is no telecommunication network and electricity from the State Electricity Company (PLN). Health workers can only provide handwritten manual vaccination cards as a sign that they have received the right to health services from the state.

Photo and Text : Wahdi Septiawan

Editor : Fanny Octavianus