DHENKANAL: Despite vaccination drives being conducted in full swing in different parts of the district, around 70 families of a cured leprosy colony (better known as Sanjay Colony) near Dhenkanal railway station are waiting for their turn.
Comprising mostly of beggars, rag pickers and rickshaw pullers, the colony residents expressed their inability to travel to other places due to physical deformity and have urged the district administration to start the vaccination programme in the primary school in the locality soon. “Most people in our colony are physically deformed and unable to travel using conventional modes of transportation.
The medical authorities can visit us through any route. Hence, we have requested for drives to be conducted here but in vain,” said a social worker Ranjan Naik. Falling under Dhenkanal municipal limits, the colony houses people who have already been cured of leprosy.
However, the residents feel it is the stigma attached to the disease that deprives them of facilities. CDMPHO Dr Sujatarani Mishra informed that direction was issued to conduct a camp in the colony on Thursday but it was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.