BBMP finds a way out of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy

Apartment associations, with their ready database of senior citizens and persons with comorbidities, could be an ideal starting point to address vaccine hesitancy and boost the vaccination drive among the general public, reckon healthcare specialists.

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​ Once the most vulnerable sections are identified, convinced about the benefits and vaccinated, the other family members would be more open to take the vaccine, the specialists feel.

“The government and the BBMP should be proactive in collaborating with the apartment associations to take this forward,” says a doctor.

There is already a well-established relationship between many associations and the Palike's health officials, finetuned during the pandemic-triggered lockdown.

Representing about 1.7 lakh households linked to 910 associations, the Bangalore Apartments Federation (BAF) could play a critical role in the vaccination drive. The Federation's General Secretary Vikram Rai says it can provide full support, but more clarity is awaited from the Palike.

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Last year, the BBMP had articulated the need to conduct ward level health surveys to create a database of citizens' health. Since this did not materialise, another attempt is to be made soon. Since nearly a thousand volunteers had signed up with BAF to collect the baseline data, a tieup between the Palike and BAF could be decisive in driving the vaccination process.

Meanwhile, the Palike has reportedly commenced a pilot door-to-door paperless survey using an application developed in 2017, to prepare a list of senior citizen beneficiaries for the vaccine. The survey will cover people aged above 50 years.