NGO in collaboration with BMC organises a free COVID-19 immunisation camp in Dharavi

Clean Up Foundation, a Mumbai-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to improving the health, hygiene, and well-being of Mumbai's rag-pickers and solid waste workers held a free vaccination camp in Dharavi in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). At this camp, almost 2000 solid waste workers and rag-pickers were vaccinated. With Covid cases on the rise again and Omicron numbers on the rise, immunisation has never been more important. This camp took on enormous significance because vaccine awareness and availability are poor in this sector of society, and vulnerability is considerable.

Sanjana Runwal, Founder of Clean-Up Foundation, commented on the effort, saying, "Our goal is to provide garbage collectors and rag pickers with the assistance that is not readily available to them. That is why we are putting on this free immunisation drive. With the pandemic in the background, vaccination was a must for them. We discovered that even after the pandemic's second year, there remains a lot of misinformation, scepticism, and anxiety regarding vaccines and their impact on one's health, based on our comprehensive primary study on rag pickers. The purpose of this event was to provide useful information as well as vaccinations to protect the health of solid waste workers and garbage collectors."

The Clean Up Foundation's operations include providing clean drinking water, safety equipment, nutritious meals, school funding for children of garbage workers, medical insurance, and free Covid-19 vaccine, among other things. The Minister of Housing and Governor of Maharashtra recently presented the NGO with a Certificate of Appreciation for its outstanding humanitarian efforts.

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