MARGAO
Hazard a guess why the special vaccination drive for persons sans prescribed ID proof evoked only moderate response in the city last Sunday with the homeless and beggars staying away from taking the anti-COVID dose?
The reasons could be varied, including lack of awareness amongst the marginalized sections, including the beggars and the homeless for the special drive on Sunday. It has now come to that light these sections also have misconceptions about the whole exercise, even some of the beggars suspecting the entire exercise is to take their kidneys.
Margao Municipal sanitary inspector Viraj Arabekar, who was entrusted with the task of getting the homeless and beggars to the vaccination centres, pointed out that there need to spread proper awareness amongst these sections before they are mentally prepared for the vaccination.
“Since I was given the responsibility by the Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes to mobilize the homeless for the vaccination, I had an encounter with these people. They had misconceptions about the whole exercise, some questioning the efficacy of the vaccines, while others saying their kidneys will be removed on the pretext of Covid vaccination”, he said.
Arabekar said he could mobilize only 20 persons, while most were reluctant to sit in the bus for the onward journey to the TB hospital, Margao, the venue for the special vaccination.
He added: “I tried to convince them the benefits of taking the COVID vaccine but in vain. I feel the authorities should launch a concerted drive to make this section of society understand the importance of COVID vaccine”.
Arabekar’s ground zero experience assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the district administration bracing up to hold a special vaccination drive for persons without the prescribed ID at Vasco on July 17.
Even officials in the know informed that issuing press releases by the district administration will serve no purpose, with the beggars and the homeless having no access to the media, adding that the only way to the marginalized sections for vaccination is to get them via sustained awareness.
The special vaccination at the TB hospital, Margao on Sunday saw 305 persons getting the anti-COVID dose, but not all comprised of the homeless and the beggars, indicating that the special drive could not get in the intended beneficiaries.
