Covid-19 vaccine: Pune organisation launches initiative to jab 5 lakh poor, vulnerable people

Even as the vaccination drive in the country has picked up a steady pace in the past few months, there is a small section of vulnerable population for whom vaccination is a big challenge. In a unique initiative a few organisations in Pune have come forward to vaccinate the poorest and most vulnerable lot in the city against Coronavirus. Helmed by the Balasaheb Deora Polyclinic, Pune Platform for Covid-19 response and vaccine maker Serum Institute of India, the initiative is making vaccines available to auto-rickshaw drivers, domestic workers, drivers, labourers and daily wage workers in the city, the Indian Express reported. In total the initiative is aiming at vaccinating 5 lakh people from the economically depressed sections in the city.

Manoj Pochat who is the coordinator of the drive and the sampark pramukh of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) told the Indian Express that the drive was launched on August 15 and will be expanded to the residential slums, EWS colonies and other areas of the city. Pochat also said that help from community-based organisations along with NGOs will also be taken in identifying the beneficiaries and vaccinating them against Coronavirus.

Pochat described the motto of the initiative to reach people of the downtrodden sections who find it difficult to reach the vaccination centres for a variety of reasons. He also said that a total of 15 NGOs and local organisations have been roped in under the initiative who will join forces with the initiative to maximise the reach of vaccines.

While the government has aimed at making the vaccination process most accessible and easily available in all parts of the country, there is a large number of people who are unaware about the vaccination procedure and hesitate to reach out to the vaccination centres.