Reaching 84% of its target, BBMP to go on door-to-door vaccination

Besides covering unvaccinated people, the vax drive will also help the BBMP determine the number of people vaccinated in the ward with absolute certainty

Having vaccinated over 84 per cent of the population in all the 198 wards via ward-wise vaccination camps and special drives, the BBMP is now mulling to take the jabs to the citizen’s doorsteps to cover those left out.

“Having covered a major part of our targeted population, there is a need to change our vaccination strategy,” said Randeep D, Special Commissioner (Health), Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). “We can’t afford to keep waiting at static vaccination sites. Instead, our teams will go out and vaccinate people.”

With vaccination sites reporting less turnout, the BBMP is planning to deploy vaccination teams at every city block.

“Our Solid Waste Management (SWM) wing has divided the city into 4,250 blocks and has details of every block along with maps,” Randeep explained. “Each block will cover about 750 houses on an average across 12 to 13 streets. We will utilise this to plan our approach.”

Read | 15 lakh healthcare workers yet to be fully vaccinated even after nine months

The block-level teams will visit the houses and vaccinate people.

“We will be able to reach the bed-ridden, those with disabilities and many such groups through this process. Also, we will be able to vaccinate many others who haven’t been able to get vaccinated either due to lack of time or interest,” Randeep added.

Besides covering unvaccinated people, the drive will also help the BBMP determine the number of people vaccinated in the ward with absolute certainty, unlike other statistics where researchers must extrapolate the data to determine the vaccination coverage.

Randeep also clarified that facilities to treat possible Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) will also be put in place.

Read | Centre says needle-free ZyCoV-D to be introduced in Covid vaccination drive shortly

Slums are a worry

Even as it drafts plans to reach the unvaccinated people, slum dwellers pose a unique problem for civic officials.

Though BBMP identified five lakh non-vaccinated slum dwellers a week ago, it could reach only one lakh so far.

“We will have to figure out a different strategy to vaccinate slum dwellers. We must involve elected representatives, leaders and NGOs as well,”
Randeep said.