'Har Ghar Dastak': Centre Urges States, UTs To Strengthen Door-To-Door Campaign For COVID-19 Vaccination

The Centre on Thursday (11 November) urged the states to strengthen the 'Har Ghar Dastak' (Door-To-Door) campaign for Covid-19 vaccination.

In a virtual meeting with the health ministers of states and union territories, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged them for collective efforts to ensure that no citizen is left without protection of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Lets us ensure collectively through collaborative and multi-stakeholder efforts that no eligible citizen is left without the ‘Suraksha Kawachh’ of COVID 19 vaccine in the country. Let us reach each corner and household across the country and motivate people to take both the doses under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s Har Ghar Dastak campaign," Mandaviya said, according to a Health Ministry release.

In the meeting, the public health measures for containment and management of COVID-19 in the states and UTs were also reviewed.

Mandaviya said that at present 79 per cent of adult population has got the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 38 per cent of the eligible population has received the second dose.

Noting that more than 12 crore beneficiaries are due for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, he urged the state health ministers to ensure that all the adult population is covered with the first doses during the ongoing ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign, while those who are due for the second doses are also motivated to take the second dose.

He reiterated PM Modi’s mop-up strategies for strengthening the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign including deploying ‘Prachar Toli’ in advance to villages which would ensure mobilisation and counselling of the eligible population along with awareness campaigns, followed by the ‘Vaccination Toli’ which would ensure that all eligible citizens are vaccinated with the first and second dose.

Mandaviya also stressed on collaborating with local religious and community leaders for motivating the unvaccinated in the village and urban areas.

“Let us start COVID vaccination centres at bus stations, railway stations etc., especially in large metros, as these are the primary points for a large number of people entering the city. Some states have started a ‘Roko and Toko’ campaign where the passengers alighting from buses, trains, rickshaws etc., are motivated to take the vaccine doses," Mandaviya suggested.

He also suggested that each day of the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign can be dedicated to mobilisation and vaccination of different groups of beneficiaries.

“One day can be dedicated for traders, hawkers, vendors, shopkeepers etc., which other days we can mobilise rickshaw pullers and auto drivers. One day can be dedicated to labourers and farmers”, he added.

While reviewing the ongoing COVID control and management public health measures, the Union Health Minister cautioned all states and UTs that COVID-19 was not over.

“We shouldn't think that COVID is over. Cases are rising globally. In Singapore, Britain, Russia and China cases are rising again despite more than 80 percent vaccination. Vaccination and COVID Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) should go hand in hand," he stressed.

He further added that while vaccination reduces the severity of the disease, adherence to Covid Appropriate Behavious (CAB) is of utmost importance to ensure that the gains made collectively by the country so far are not frittered away and that India does not have any other surge of COVID-19 cases.

Mandaviya further said, “The two weapons of Vaccination and CAB will be our greatest defence against it and we should not let our guard down before it is completely over".