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Distance is no excuse to evade a vaccine shot! Mobile vaccination is gaining popularity among the authorities to cover maximum ground in villages and inaccessible territories.
One such effort is being made by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported Hyderabad-based startup, Jivika Healthcare, which has deployed over 100 mobile clinics as a VaccineOnWheels (VOW) initiative to cover rural areas for Covid-19 vaccination in Maharashtra, Telengana and Karnataka.
After the Centre’s decision to inoculate adolescents (12-18 years) from January 3, 2022, the startup, which has administered over 5,00,000 doses in the past nine months, is adding over 50 more mobile units to expand its reach in other States including Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu.
The company also looks to tap younger beneficiaries through its enhanced vaccination capacities.
Jignesh Patel, Founder and CEO, VaccineOnWheels, attributes the success of the model to its community-driven approach and agility to reach out to the rural and underprivileged population.
Reducing barriers
“This will help ensure we reduce any and all barriers for those who want to receive Covid-19 vaccine, particularly in rural and underprivileged population,” Patel said adding that the target is to reach three million people by March 2022.
India has so far covered 90 per cent of its population with first dose and about 61 per cent with both doses, leaving a sizeable lot exposed to the risk of infections. On the other hand, the Gujarat government earlier this week, roped in the Indian Red Cross society to deploy mobile vaccination vans in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts to cover interior villages. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat had flagged off the vans that have capacity to administer about 80-100 doses per day.
Need for mobile vans
Speaking to BusinessLine , Sumit Thakkar, vice chairperson of Gujarat State Branch of Indian Red Cross society highlighted the need for mobile vans for enhanced vaccination coverage. “There are instances when the the Primary Health Clinic (PHC) or community health clinic (CHC) is located 30-40 kms away. In such a scenario, it is difficult for vaccinators to reach. Mobile vans are equipped with all the necessary infrastructure including first-aid kit, vaccine storage freeze, a medical assistant, a vaccinator, etc. This will give further momentum to the vaccination drive,” Thakkar said adding that the vans were provided with support from Tata Motors in coordination with the Gujarat health department. The Indian Red Cross society has also deployed similar mobile vaccination vans in its headquarters in New Delhi and in Kerala.
In the event of an adverse event to the immunisation, the vaccinators follow the due protocol and can also rush the patient to the nearest hospital using the same vans. In Gujarat, more vans are likely to be deployed based on the experience from the pilot project in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts. “We have presence across all 33 districts in Gujarat and in 79 talukas. We have adequate manpower and infrastructure resources for immunisation drive,” said Thakkar.
Similarly, Jivika Healthcare, through its Public Private Partnership venture — VaccineOnWheels — partners with governments, NGOs and CSR partners to take vaccination to the grassroot level in rural as well as urban pockets of the country, thereby increasing the access to vaccines for the beneficiaries.
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