200 transgenders, sex workers vaccinated at special camp in Gurugram

Around 200 persons were inoculated at a special camp set up for transgenders and commercial sex workers at a government school in Dundahera on Sunday.

Transgenders from across the district, such as Dundahera and Sirhaul among other areas got the jab at the camp from 10am to 4pm, said the district health department officials on Sunday.

“We have vaccinated 190 transgenders community during the vaccination camp, and the response was very good. We are making all efforts to reach out to marginal sections of the population so that they are not left out,” said chief medical officer (CMO) Dr Virender Yadav. He had inaugurated the vaccination camp on Sunday morning.

Around 750 transgenders had registered themselves for the jab, as per the district data.

Yadav said that they held a meeting with the representatives of the transgender community, and the NGO working with them on Saturday, and a detailed plan was made so that the maximum number of people go the jab during the drive. “Earlier, we carried out a drive for people with special needs. It was successful. We will conduct more such drives for those with special needs,” he said.

The health department also said that a camp for such individuals will be held at a subdivisional hospital in Pataudi on Monday. “Beneficiaries who need a pick and drop facility would be given this facility. We appeal to the people in Pataudi that they should get vaccinated in this camp,” said Yadav.

Srikant Kumar, programme manager, NGO Sauswa, who works with transgenders, said that this was a great initiative, and the entire community is “thankful to the authorities and the health department for the inclusive step”. “The transgenders community appreciated this move,” he said.

Details on others who got vaccinated at the camp on Sunday were not immediately available.

Walk-in vaccination at 37 sites

Meanwhile, in a related development, the health department said that it would avail vaccination at 37 session sites across the district on Monday, for the 18-45 category. Nearly 200 jabs per site will be administered on a first-come-first-serve basis. The beneficiaries would be allowed to walk-in, and they can get vaccinated without prior registration or slot booking.

CMO Yadav said that the beneficiaries do not need to get themselves registered, and they would be served on first-come-first-serve basis. “Those who haven’t got the first dose should come at the session sites and get the vaccines,” said Yadav, adding that this was done for a day, and they would repeat this exercise if the response was good.