Picture Credit: A woman receives a vaccine dose during a special drive for the underprivileged at Worli on August 2. Pic/Shadab Khan
Civic body collaborates with foundation that has raised Rs 2.5 crore; drive starts on October 4; areas where vaccinations can be done to be identified
To ensure the vaccine reaches the poor in slum pockets, the civic body has collaborated with Dr Gautam Bhansali’s Golden Hour Foundation to administer the first dose to 50,000 people in the next ten days.
Dr Gautam Bhansali, chief coordinator of all private hospitals for vaccination and COVID, is spearheading the initiative and has managed to raise Rs 2.5 crore through corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions.
“About 90 per cent of the eligible population of the city has been vaccinated. Still, there are many who have not been able to take the vaccines because of long queues at the government centres or not being affordable to go to private centres,” said Dr Bhansali, who is also a physician at Bombay Hospital.
With the help of BMC, he said, they will identify such slum pockets and areas where his team can go and vaccinate the residents. “We plan to have an aggressive approach and cover 50,000 people in the next 10 days. Before the third wave, we need to optimise the city’s vaccine coverage as much as we can. Bombay Hospital will be purchasing the vaccines and with the help of BMC, we will administer the doses in slum areas,” said Dr Bhansali.
While the BMC has been holding special drives for women, bed-ridden citizens, physically challenged people, tribals, prisoners, students going abroad for education/ employment and the LGBTQ community, Dr Bhansali said CSR funding for vaccination will help bridge the gap that is left because of shortage of vaccination in public vaccination centres.
Ajanta Pharma, World Trade Centre have donated R1 crore each to the state chief minister and BMC. Golden Hour Foundation too has donated Rs 25 lakh for the cause. “We have started the vaccine procurement process and shall begin the drive from Monday,” he said.
So far, 1.29 crore doses have been administered in Mumbai of which nearly 74.2 lakh jabs have been given to men and the remaining 55.2 lakh are women recipients. About 44.71 lakh people have taken both doses, shows official data. To encourage more women to take the jab, the BMC has introduced a once-a-week special session only for women.
In September, 29.5 lakh vaccines shots were administered. Dr Bhansali said they want to contribute to the BMC’s efforts to vaccinate more and more Mumbaikars from all strata of society.
Article Credit: mid-day