Only one Covid vaccination centre in Diva; locals upset

Residents from Diva are upset that they have access to only one government vaccination centre while the area has a population of more than 600,000. Residents said they have often faced overcrowding and difficulty in getting access to vaccine, hence they approached local political leaders to resolve their problem.

Residents from Diva are upset that they have access to only one government vaccination centre while the area has a population of more than 600,000. Meanwhile, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has provided more than two vaccination centres at other wards. Residents said they have often faced overcrowding and difficulty in getting access to vaccine, hence they approached local political leaders to resolve their problem.

Thane District Nurses Training Vaccination Centre saw crowding on Sunday. (Praful Gangurde / HT Photo)

“We have only one centre in Diva and hardly any private vaccination centres. We are left with no option but to travel to far off areas to get jabs. The centre at Diva is always crowded. People turn up at 3am or 4am to wait in queue to get vaccinated. Our issues are not attended to while people from Ghodbunder Road have access to more than three centres in their vicinity itself,” said Sunita Jadhav, 42, resident of Diva.

Since the past two months, the centre at Diva has allowed only walk-in vaccinations, leading to long queues.

“We have mobile vaccination facility that reaches out to places which do not have enough provision to set up vaccination centres. Often our mobile vaccination units have pit stops at various places in Diva for the convenience of residents,” said Dr Khushboo Tawri, Medical officer, TMC.