BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started organising special camps to reach out to teenagers in slums and speed up the ongoing inoculation drive in the city for 15 to below 18 years age group.
The civic body organised four such camps on Friday. The camps were organised for the teenagers at Santipali slum in ward no 34, Falikia slum in ward no 41 and Mahisakhala slum in ward no 56. The civic body engaged vaccination teams and slum management committee members for smooth vaccination of the teens at these camps.
Sources said, the BMC decided to carry out the drive in slums to ensure that those unable to register do not face any difficulties in getting vaccinated. Apart from slums, a special camp for teenagers was also organised for adolescents at MBS School near Exhibition ground in Unit-III.
Additional District Urban Public Health Officer (ADUPHO) Antaryami Mishra said they have targeted to vaccinate at least 50 teenagers in such camps, though provision for inoculation of 100 beneficiaries has been made.
While the morning slot of these camps is kept reserved for teens who are being vaccination on the basis of token, the evening slot is being opened for beneficiaries of all eligible groups. The ADUPHO said that the response of teenagers to vaccination in the city has been very good so far.
From administering first dose to 4,100 beneficiaries on January 3, the first day of vaccination, the civic body is now administering around 14,000 beneficiaries in the 15 to below 18 years age group a day.