For disabled, vaccination turns tricky

HYDERABAD: Though Covid vaccination drive has been going on across the state and thousands of beneficiaries are getting inoculated every day, the differently-abled are finding it hard to get the jabs done due to the location of vaccination centres.

A 48-year-old differently-abled P Srinivas has been trying to get himself vaccinated for a month, but in vain. Like him, there are hundreds of others waiting to get themselves vaccinated.

Speaking to this newspaper, Srinivas, a resident of Addagutta in the city, said, "We are not in a position to reach the vaccination centre early in the morning and stand in queue for hours to get vaccinated as our condition doesn't support us."

A month ago, he contacted the helpline number and sought an appointment for vaccination and waited for a call. However, to his surprise he got to know that it was cancelled. And again, he registered himself for vaccination drive and later he was informed that the first dose vaccination had been stopped and the second dose vaccination was going on.

He said the government was not even recognising them, but instead was looking down on them.

Although the Centre committee suggested against door-to-door vaccination and came up with the idea of a ‘near to home’ Covid vaccination centre, many differently-abled persons in Telangana demanded vaccination at their doorstep. Disabled rights forums also urged the government to arrange at least separate centres for vaccination for them as suggested by the Central government.

The 45-year-old T. Bhujangam, a differently-abled said, "Five days ago, I called the helpline and they informed me that the first dose vaccination was stopped and assured me to inform when the vaccination drive resumed." He opined door-to-door vaccination for differently-abled persons would be helpful and they could avoid waiting in queues for long hours.

President of All India Disabled Rights Forum (AIDRF) K Nageshwar Rao told this correspondent, "Usually immunity of disabled is low compared to others. The government on humanitarian grounds should come forward and start a vaccination drive for differently-abled persons like they are doing for super spreaders in the state."

Approximately around eight lakhs differently-abled persons are there in Telangana state. Most of them are not in position to take care of themselves.

Adding to the woes they are scared of getting contracted with Covid-19 by standing in long queues and are clueless about their future. The AIDRF urged the government to vaccinate them on a priority basis.

According to the Central government directions, the strategy of ‘near to home’ vaccination centres for elderly and differently-abled citizens has been formulated and has been recommended to be adopted. As per this strategy, vaccination drive will be more accessible to elderly and differently abled.

Nageshwar Rao said, "The government should financially support the differently-abled persons who are already suffering from Covid-19." Rao demanded that the government give an ex-gratia of '10 lakh to the kin of those who already succumbed to Covid-19.