Community Mobilization Helps BMC in Ramping up Footfall at COVID Vaccination Centres

Bhubaneswar: Under its “Vaccination for All’’ strategy the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) is continuously adding new areas and population pockets to administer vaccine doses against the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the directive from BMC Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Singh to open special vaccination centres across the city for the cause, ward officers, community organisers and local residents with a coordinated effort have made this community-driven initiative a great success.

Under the South East Zone in Ward No. 41 thousands of locals have taken the vaccination doses at a special centre inside Press Colony School in Kharvel Nagar. While residents of Rickshaw Colony, Shanti Nagar, Masjid Colony, Malisahi and PWD Colony have taken the doses and are still availing the facility, more than 600 people from Malisahi and minority community have taken their jabs as specially organized community-based interactions have motivated them to come and take the protective doses. This new initiative by the civic body has also created an example as a success story of the inclusive strategy under the “Vaccination for All’’ programme.

Resident of Malisahi Nagamani Rao (65) says “we are able to take the vaccination doses to fight the pandemic as BMC has opened a special centre inside the Press Colony School. I am thankful to the BMC authorities and the State Government for such a nice initiative.’’

Another social activist of Ward No. 41 Lily Nayak (35) says “as the vaccination centre has come near to our colony, we are happy to participate in the same. The community-led participatory approach adopted by BMC will help all the needy people to avail an easy way to have protective cover against COVID-19.’’

Under the North Zone in Salia Sahi many alum residents liv in Ward Nos. 16,20, 21 and 26. Since last one month a special vaccination centre is working at Loyala School and more and more people are coming to take vaccination doses.

“On daily basis many people are coming to this centre as the ward officers and community organisers have held counselling sessions for the people explaining them how the vaccination process will help them to fight COVID-19 pandemic. This is an exclusive help extended by BMC to our slum residents,’’ says Sibu Soren (31) of Salia Sahi.

Similarly, in South West zone a vaccination drive has been underway within the Sampur area including people from Sampur, Panda Kudia, Nuagaon (part) and Kalinga Nagar areas.

Local resident, retired engineer Biranchi Narayan Prusty (65) says, “Afterall the civic authorities and State Government have done something outstanding through which all citizens of the city would be covered under vaccination and fight the pandemic.’’

“In all our outskirts zones and areas through community mobilization and awareness drives interest for vaccination has gone up manifolds. This will help us to cover all citizen groups in near future,’’ says the BMC Commissioner.

Till yesterday the city has administered more than 13.60 lakh doses of vaccine across the city.