In a progressive initiative, Mumbai's SL Rajheja Hospital - Fortis Associate along with social welfare organisaiton GAURAV organized the city’s first COVID-19 vaccination drive for transgender persons and others from the Hijra community. This vaccination drive was part of #VaccineForAll initiative by S.L. Raheja Hospital located in Mahim, to ensure easy access to vaccination for various marginalized and hard to reach communities. The hospital has taken a multi-pronged approach to ensure more and more people learn about vaccination and get the required defense against COVID-19.
Under this initiative, over 70 transgender persons and hijras were vaccinated with the first dose of Covishield. The initiative was supported by famous transgnder activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Zainab Javid Patel, Members of National Council For Transgender Persons.
The drive was preceeded with a fortnight of virtual and physical outreach in different areas in Mumbai and Thane district to help them make an informed choice about getting vaccinated. Vulnerable groups like these are often left out of the reach of social safety nets. While there have been very few vaccination drives for the transgender groups across states, in Mumbai this is the first!
Take a look at these pictures
A medic inoculates the dose of the COVID19 vaccine to transgender at Raheja Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday | BL Soni
A medic inoculates the dose of the COVID19 vaccine to transgender at Raheja Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday | BL Soni
Members of the transgender community wait to get themselves inoculated with the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a hospital in Mumbai on June 20, 2021 | ANI
Members of the transgender community pose for a photograph after getting themselves inoculated with the Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine at a hospital in Mumbai on June 20, 2021 | AFP
Transgender persons participating at COVID -19 Vaccination drive organised by S.L. Raheja Hospital – Fortis Associate and GAURAV |
Transgender person receiving the vaccination shot |
Members of the transgender community wait to get themselves inoculated | BL Soni
Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, Executive Board Member, GAURAV said, “Many trans members are immunocompromised and are at a greater risk of infection from the virus. We are extremely happy that S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim has initiated this drive, and have helped trans members get vaccinated in smooth and hassle-free manner”.
“COVID19 does not discriminate basis one’s gender. Therefore, all individuals and communities must have equal access to vaccination and healthcare. With healthcare providers such as S.L. Raheja Hospital, Mahim taking progressive steps to reach out to vulnerable communities such as our trans members, we can definitely expect a more inclusive and healthy India in the future”, expressed Zainab Javid Patel, Diversity & Inclusion advocate and activist.
