The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday told the Bombay High Court that it will start the door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination for elderly and bed-ridden citizens, only after the Centre frames policy on the same.
An affidavit filed by Mangala Gomare, Executive Health Officer at Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, “The Central government is yet to come up with the policy for ‘Door-to-Door Vaccination’.
The affidavit also stated that subject to availability of sufficient stock of vaccination, BMC will abide by further orders that may be passed by the High Court, regarding vaccination drive in Mumbai.
The Corporation also informed the Court that it has already started vaccination of Front Line Workers and Health Workers as well as citizens above the age of 60 years, as per the guidelines issued by the Central Government from time to time.
The bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G.S. Kulkarni had yesterday indicated during the hearing that if BMC is willing to start a door-to-door vaccination, then it will be given permission for the same, even if the Centre has no policy in place.
The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Dhruti Kapadia, seeking directives to the authorities to allow door-to-door inoculation drives for the elderly and bed-ridden citizens.
Ms Kapadia questioned various guidelines from the BMC’s circular. She also raised concerns about crowding at vaccine centers, the guidelines excluding transgender persons, and how people with no ID cards or documentation have to rely on NGOs, as they are not allowed at walk-in facilities.
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The High Court had earlier asked the Union government to review its policy that said doorstep vaccination was not possible due to various reasons like wastage of vaccines and non-availability of observation centres for beneficiaries after they are inoculated.
Source: ILNS