‘10,000 vaccinations in 10 days’: Covid-19 inoculation drive launched in Mumbai
As many as 10,000 fisherfolk and people from vulnerable communities in south Mumbai will receive the two doses of the Covishield vaccine as per government directives and protocols, free-of-cost.
A large-scale Covid-19 vaccination drive has been launched for fisherfolk and the people from vulnerable communities in Mumbai. The drive, which began on October 4 and will continue till October 13, is aimed at inoculating at least 10,000 people within the 10-day period.
As part of the drive, 10,000 fisherfolk and people from vulnerable communities in south Mumbai will receive the two doses of the Covishield vaccine as per government directives and protocols, free of cost. The drive will serve marginalised people who have not been able to access them earlier due to the nationwide vaccine supply shortage and vaccine hesitancy.
Launched by ChildFund India in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation Greater Mumbai and city-based Surana Hospital, the drive is supported by HSBC Bank.
The drive was flagged off by Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar BMC's Ward 226 corporator Harshita Narwekar at a private Covid-19 vaccination centre in Colaba in the presence of ChildFund India country director Neelam Makhijani, HSBC India's head of corporate sustainability Aloka Majumdar, south Mumbai A ward medical officer (health) Dr Prajakta Amberkar and community leaders from the Machhimar nagar.
India has 7,200km of coastline and around five crore fisherfolk making their living from the sea. Given these numbers, it is easy to see how a pandemic such as Covid-19 would have far-reaching implications. Vaccination support to the community was imperative and our efforts have been directed towards the same.
ChildFund India claimed that it supported millions of people, including children, with awareness and vaccination drives, relief material, livelihood recovery opportunities, psycho-social support and necessary medical aid, as part of the COVID-19 response in the past 18 months. These efforts have so far reached over eight million people including children from vulnerable communities across the 15 states.
“Through this initiative, ChildFund India and HSBC together are proactively contributing to the nation's goal of complete vaccine coverage. We are grateful to HSBC for joining hands in our endevour to keep people safe, secure and sustained,” Neelam Makhijani said.
“Our interventions include providing medical equipment to 100 primary healthcare centres and comunity healthcare centres, setting up child-friendly Covid-care centres, providing food, hygiene and educational kits to families, launching an intensive vaccination drive and most importantly, providing livelihood opportunities,” Makhijani added.
Aloka Majumdar said the marginalised communities in Mumbai have been particularly vulnerable and also lacked the access to adequate health care. “Vaccination has emerged as an effective measure to check the spread of the pandemic and this is the latest initiative amongst our various efforts to combat the pandemic and support our communities,” she added.
