We have vaccinated more than 800 people from the socially isolated communities

Mumbai Smiles together with the BMC (Mumbai Municipal Corporation) has organized the first dose of vaccinate for the people who are socially isolated to protect them against COVID-19.

At the beginning of the pandemic, on many occasions, we affirmed that the COVID-19 virus did not make any difference and “treated” all people the same, regardless of their origin or purchasing power. Although, broadly speaking, we could agree with this statement, the truth is that slowly we have been able to confirm that this is not the case.

People with fewer resources have less access to information and therefore less responsiveness to protect themselves from infections, as well as fewer possibilities of taking care of yourself.  How can you do it living in crowded places, without the possibility of getting masks or soap and water to wash your hands? In the same way, in those places and those communities whose access to healthcare is already precarious or non-existent, in this context of a pandemic the situation has only multiplied its severity. Same happens in case of an access to vaccines in the poorest countries, which is why at Mumbai Smiles we joined the Declaración de Barcelona for the wavering of patents.

Let’s prevent the coronavirus from being another disease linked to poverty

So almost two years after the start of the pandemic, we watch with concern as the coronavirus continues the trend of becoming another disease more linked to poverty. At Mumbai Smiles we have been working for months to break with this binomial. We strive so that the most disadvantaged communities are aware of the disease and of the health resources available to them to count on.

The last few weeks we have put a lot of effort into testing and also helping people to sign up for vaccination processes. We have carried out these actions in different areas of Mumbai with the support of the BMC (Mumbai Municipal Corporation). We also began to discuss the need to organize vaccination camps for those people who cannot access the vaccination centers or afford the costs or who have doubts due to the rumours about vaccines. It was in mid-July when it was decided to organize this vaccination camp aimed at tribal communities, in an important isolated community, in the Aarey Colony area (Sai ​​Bangoda, Moroshi Pada, Perucha Pada, Ulthan Pada) and also in Prajapur Pada. and Vanicha Pada. In this way, a part of the beneficiaries of our projects and their neighbours were included in this vaccination campaign.

For two days, our team, including the preschool teachers, carried out a great task preparing the data to organize vaccination according to the situation of the residents of the area, for those who are above 18 years of age. With the information obtained from 1,362 people, the vaccination and responsibilities of all the team members were completed during the days that took place on August 2 and 3 from 10 in the morning to 7 in the evening and that covered total of 858 people who were vaccinated.

On days 4 and 5 August, the teachers of our kindergartens and their assistants followed up the vaccinated people to see if someone suffered a serious adverse reactions and the follow-up was very satisfactory, since no worrisome anomalies were detected.

This has been the first vaccination day for people from the socially isolated areas organized by the Municipal Corporation and the NGO. The experience has been very positive. Since that day we have continued working for a second day of the vaccination for the second dose and to increase the number of people with the registration for the first dose. We will conduct these activities today and tomorrow.

It is essential to get access to vaccination for all people. It is essential for the health of each of them, also to be able to stop dealing with this constant threat of the worldwide coronavirus and to avoid new waves. What we have achieved is because of the support of many people, and we are full of gratitude. We want to move forward and protect a highly vulnerable population and you can help us: DONATE NOW!