Mumbai: A special vaccination drive at Juhu school

Some of the beneficiaries at the vaccination drive

The kin of those with special needs are facing a challenge in getting them vaccinated for Covid-19. So when Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF), an NGO held a vaccination camp in association with the Surana Hospital for these people at the Dilkhush special school at Juhu, many were relieved.

Ramila Gadda, a Ghatkopar resident, was glad that her autistic son, Shreyansh, 24, was vaccinated without any chaos. Many families who have members with special needs availed of the exclusive vaccination camp on Wednesday. A total of 550 vaccines were administered for free and the organisation plans to reach 20,000 individuals with special needs.

"We were waiting for such an opportunity. It is very important to have a safe and hassle-free experience for the vaccination of people with special needs. There were volunteers to provide exactly the kind of help which would otherwise be missing at regular vaccination centres," said Ramila.

Shilpa Datar was more than happy to travel to Juhu from their Borivli residence for a hassle-free vaccination experience for her autistic brother, Bhushan Walawalkar, 49. "I had registered on CoWin for my brother but booking a slot was a difficult process. Moreover, it was important to have a friendly, less crowded facility considering the needs of such people," said Shilpa.

Divyanshu Ganatra from ABBF said, "Heartfelt gratitude to all our partner organisations and to Surana Hospital for their vaccination support, without which most of this community of Persons with Disabilities would not have the chance of a dignified vaccination. I am incredibly thankful to all the volunteers who gave their time, risking their lives in such a generous manner."

The vaccination drive was held in association with the Surana Hospital. The idea was to provide a safe venue for people with special needs. "The staff was trained to be patient to administer the vaccines to people with special needs. These individuals need to feel calm," said Dr Prince Surana.

Similar drives are going to be held across many localities in the city by ABBF to reach more people with special needs. ABBF is a non-profit organisation aimed at the inclusion and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and is based in Pune.