Adopt J&K model of door-to-door vaccination; Bombay HC to Centre

The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the central government to adopt the door-to-door vaccination model carried out successfully by J&K and Kerala to cover 100 per cent population.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni noted that it was unable to understand what the Centre's problem was in starting door-to-door vaccination when Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala were already carrying out such drives.

The Court passed these remarks while hearing public interest litigation filed by advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari, seeking door-to-door vaccination for senior citizens above the age of 75 and persons who are specially-abled, wheelchair-bound, or bedridden.

"I sought to draw the attention of the Court towards door-to-door vaccination drive successfully carried out in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and in the state of Kerala", advocate Dhruti Kapadia told International Business Times.

"The court asked why door-to-door vaccination is not possible when states such as Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir are carrying out the drive successfully", she said.

Court seeks Centre's response on J&K's policy

"How is it that individual states like Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir have introduced and are successfully doing door-to-door vaccination? What is the Centre's comment on the Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir pattern?" the bench asked.

"Whether the National COVID-19 strategy/policy, which does not specifically permit "door-to-door" vaccination of elderly and physically disabled citizens, can be deviated from by individual State Governments and "door-to-door" vaccination introduced by them without receiving a green signal in this behalf from the Government of India", the Court asked the Centre.

J&K sets an example

Launched earlier this month, the J&K government's door-to-door vaccination drive has yielded encouraging results. Many districts of J&K have achieved the target of 100 vaccination in the age group of 45 years and above.

Mobile teams of health department have been reaching even remotest and inaccessible areas to ensure 100 percent vaccination of the people.

J&K's Weyan is the first village in India to vaccinate all above 18 years of age

A remote hamlet in the Bandipora district of J&K has become the first village in India to vaccinate all of its adult population. With the strenuous efforts of health workers, Weyhan shot to national fame by vaccinating all above the age of 18 years. The village is located only 28 km away from Bandipora district headquarters, but a distance of 18 km has to be covered by foot as there is no motorable road.

There is no internet access in the village. So, it was not possible for the residents to get appointments for vaccination like the way people in urban areas do.