We lost many people in the past three months. Many of them were not able to get vaccinated on time.
Calcutta Rescue supports thousands of poorest of the poor slum dwellers who live in most vulnerable condition.
In the middle of the Second Wave there was a shortage of vaccines. Only Government health centres were providing and still are providing free vaccines. However, there is a huge opportunity cost because of the long queues to avail them, lack of digital literacy and vaccine hesitation.
Private vaccination is expensive and our beneficiaries can’t afford them. These problems are further aggravated for
the patients with serious diseases and co-morbidities.
CR is ensuring easier access to these vaccines and hence protection from the disease and livelihood continuity.
With that in mind, Calcutta Rescue partnered with Narayana Health Rabindra Nath Tagore hospital and Apollo Clinic. The project is funded by Omidyar Network.
“The vaccination is being done in the hospitals. We have arranged a vehicle to carry our patients to the hospital for a safe trip. Patients are being ferried to hospitals and clinics by our vehicle. They are being briefed about do and don’ts after getting the vaccine in the vehicle. Every patient is checked with thermal guns before they are able to sit on the bus.” says Dr Ghosh, the Deputy CEO of Calcutta Rescue (Medical).
“The vaccination started from 25th July. We chose Nonadanga slum area. Registrations were done by CR staff beforehand. And we took the patients safely to the hospital.” said Debu, the head of Calcutta Street Medicine project, ” We are proud to say that all 475 slum dwellers of Nonadanga have been vaccinated with their first dose.”
Calcutta Rescue staff are now working on sensitizing more slum dwellers for getting their vaccines. The charity is aiming to vaccinate 10,000 people by 2022.
