The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday refuted as "baseless" reports, which alleged that the homeless have been "barred and conspicuously left out'' from registering for COVID-19 vaccination due to unavailability of technical requirements.
"There have been some media reports alleging that homeless people have been 'barred and conspicuously left out' from registering for COVID-19 vaccination due to unavailability of technical requirements. The reports have further stated 'requirement to register digitally', 'knowledge of English and access to a computer or a smart phone connected to the internet' as some of the factors depriving people of vaccination. These claims are baseless and not based on facts," the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said in an official statement.
It further clarified that the ownership of a mobile phone is not a prerequisite for COIVD vaccination, production of address proof for availing vaccination is not mandatory, and pre-registration online on Co-WIN is also not mandatory.
Meanwhile, it added that for easy understanding of users, Co-WIN is now available in 12 languages, including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Bengali, Assamese, Gurumukhi (Punjabi) and English.
Co-WIN platform is an inclusive IT system which provides a flexible framework with all the necessary features to facilitate coverage in the remotest parts of the country as well as for those who are most vulnerable.
While one of the nine identity cards including Aadhar, Elector Photo Identity Card, Ration Card with Photo, Disability I.D. Card etc., is required for availing of vaccination, special provisions have been made by Government of India for organising vaccination sessions for those who may not have any of the nine specified identity cards or own a mobile phone, said the Health Ministry.
So far, over two lakh eligible beneficiaries have been vaccinated. Near-to-home vaccination centre services for the elderly and persons with disability are also being provided, for which an advisory was issued May 27.
For those who may not have access to internet or smartphones or even to mobile phone, free of cost on-site registration (also popularly called Walk-In) and vaccination is available at all government vaccination centres.
80 per cent of all vaccine doses have so far been administered in an on-site vaccination mode. In on-site (or walk-in) vaccination, all the data recording for registration, vaccination and generation of vaccination certificates is done by the vaccinator and the beneficiary himself/herself is only required to provide the basic minimum necessary information.
Furthermore, COVID-19 vaccination coverage is found to be better in tribal districts than the national averages. Data also shows that more than 70 per cent of vaccination centres are located in rural areas including more than 26,000 at the Primary Health Centres and 26,000 at the sub-health centres, read the statement.
( With inputs from ANI )
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