To encourage women participation, the BMC has decided to conduct a special vaccination drive today (September 17) at all the civic, state, and private-run covid vaccination centres.
Only women will be given vaccines from 10.30am to 6.30pm today. This move comes after the civic body has surmised that only 42.65 per cent of the female population has been vaccinated, compared to the 57.32 per cent males in the city.
As per the CoWin portal, Mumbai has administered 1.12 crore doses till September 16, of which, 64.64 lakh doses have been administered to men and 48.04 lakh doses administered to women. In absolute numbers, 16.60 lakh fewer doses have been administered to women in the city.
The civic officials have acknowledged the need to speed up the vaccination drive among women for which they have reserved one day for women to get vaccinated.
Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said that they are trying to expediate the vaccination programme for all.
The BMC is also holding special sessions for women and beneficiaries whose second doses are left.
"We noted that fewer women were getting vaccinated and most of the women usually preferred to go to a vaccination camp being held closer to their home, or where the process was more streamlined. Women can get both first and second doses of vaccines directly at the vaccination centres,” he said.
Earlier on International Women’s Day (March 8), the Maharashtra government had set up five vaccination centres in each district, dedicated solely to inoculate women.
The health experts too believe that there is a need to create more awareness on the Covid vaccine among women to counter hesitancy. “It is a good step by the civic body to reserve one day for women but for that, they have to reach out to as many as possible or else this move will be of no use,” said an expert.
Meanwhile, the union government has also planned to conduct special campaigns to increase vaccine coverage among women. The coverage among the female population has shown improvement since April, which was predominantly driven by extending the drive to pregnant women.
