'Near-to-Door vaccination': Centre's alternative to Bombay HC for door-to-door vaccination

The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday informed the Bombay High Court that a near-to-door vaccination policy is an appropriate solution as against the door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination for senior citizens, specially-abled, bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound people, which is currently not possible.

The Health Ministry filed an affidavit before the Bombay High Court informing that near-to-home Covid Vaccination Centers would include immunization jabs at non-health facilities closer to home, like at community centres, schools and old-age homes. The Ministry also apprised the Court that a possibility of door-to-door vaccination was discussed in the NEGVAC (National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19) meeting on May 25. Standard Operating Procedures have been structured with regards to 'Near to Home Vaccination Centres' on May 27, the affidavit by the Health Ministry stated.

Bombay HC's strong directions to BMC on door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination

The Health Ministry affidavit comes in response to the Bombay High Court's strong directives to Maharashtra Government and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to begin door-to-door vaccinations during the second wave of COVID-19. The Bombay HC on May 19 ordered the state not to wait for Central Government's approval regarding the door-to-door vaccination programme for the differently-abled and bed-ridden people. It had also directed the NEGVAC to examine the feasibility of door to door COVID vaccination for elderly and disabled citizens.

 "They (expert committee members) are all academic experts but they seem to have zero knowledge about the ground reality. If this decision is taken from Delhi, you should think about the local situation," the division bench of chief justice Dipankar Datta and justice Girish Kulkarni had said. 

"If the corporation (BMC) wants to start door-to-door vaccination. If the centre does not permit it, we will. Saving lives is more important," the bench had remarked.

The Bombay High court also came down heavily on the BMC for filing an affidavit saying it would start door-to-door vaccination only after the central government issues guidelines for the same. The division bench was hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari. The PIL sought directions to the Centre, the state government and the BMC to provide door-to-door vaccination for people ageing over 75 years, the specially-abled and the bed-ridden.