Bengaluru looks to overcome Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy in slums with free food kits

'We hope that they will oblige to get vaccinated for the sake of the food kits,' BBMP Special Commissioner (Health) D Randeep said

Even as it scales up to vaccinate more people, the BBMP is wary of rising vaccine hesitancy in certain parts of the city.

Despite door-to-door surveys and awareness drives, several slum pockets in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) zones reported vaccine hesitancy, officials said.

D Randeep, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, said people living in areas with high poverty and illiteracy were refusing to get the jab. “We have noticed reluctance among residents towards vaccination in a few wards under the East Zone and a few localities in KG Halli, DJ Halli, Shivajinagar and a few more areas. Other zones have also reported vaccine reluctancy but on a smaller scale,” he explained.

Overcoming the setback, the BBMP has decided to distribute free ration kits to the target population and get them vaccinated.

“Food kits are essential for many as they belong to BPL families. We hope that they will oblige to get vaccinated for the sake of the food kits,” Randeep said.

So far, the BBMP has procured about 800 food kits from an organisation and hopes to receive more kits in the coming days.