Doctors Scale Rockslides, Invoke Gods To Vaccinate Himalayan Villages

Kanta Devi, 26, a health worker, carries a box containing COVISHIELD vaccines, as she walks through a road that was blocked after a landslide, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near Malana village in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. Despite the hostile terrain, the northern state of Himachal Pradesh became the first in India to administer at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in all its adults. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB

Medical kits and boxes containing COVISHIELD vaccines, are transported on a ropeway trolley to Malana village, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. Before beginning the trek to the village, health workers placed vaccine boxes onto a gondola connected to pulleys to carry the medicine across the river gorge that separates Malana from the road. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB

Health workers walk through a road, that was blocked after a landslide, as they trek to a remote villages as a part of a vaccination drive, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near Malana village in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. Blocked by the landslide, they left their vehicle with two blue vaccine boxes slung over their shoulders to manoeuvre over the rubble, climb the wall and then walk to the trailhead leading to the village. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB

Villagers wait to receive a dose of the COVISHIELD vaccine, during a vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, near Malana village in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. "People were initially scared to take the vaccine, worried they would fall sick or die" said village head Rajuram. "Then I took it and others also mustered the courage." REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB

Kamla Devi, 58, a health worker, gives a dose of the COVISHIELD vaccine to a villager, as part of a vaccination drive during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, at Malana village in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. "People were initially scared to take the vaccine, worried they would fall sick or die" said village head Rajuram. "Then I took it and others also mustered the courage." REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB

Nirma Devi, 31, and Phula Devi, 30, hold boxes containing COVISHIELD vaccines as they pose for a picture at Malana village in Kullu district in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, India, September 14, 2021. Despite the hostile terrain, the northern state of Himachal Pradesh became the first in India to administer at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in all its adults. The steep topography was a challenge overcome by health workers walking for hours or days to reach remote villages. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

25 September 2021 00:00 WIB