BBMP ropes in volunteers for vaccination survey

BENGALURU: The BBMP is roping in citizen volunteers for its Covid vaccination survey for those above 60 years and those aged above 45 years with comorbidities. They will be given tablets, like ASHA workers have, to survey people for Phase-3 of the vaccination drive. Google doc forms are being circulated and citizens have to fill in their e-mail address, full name, phone number, and ward number to sign up for the survey with the BBMP health department. They will be paid an honorarium of `10 per house, along with ASHA workers.

Rajendra Cholan, Special Commissioner, Health, BBMP said, “Citizens are being roped in for the survey of not just Covid vaccine beneficiaries but also regular health surveys that come under National Urban Health Mission. There is no fixed target to complete the survey but it shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 days.”

NGOs can also volunteer with BBMP for the same. This is being done especially in areas where there is a shortage of government health staff.“The Medical Officer Health and ward level officers will reach out to citizens if they need more hands. We have to survey 30 lakh households and require 15 to 20 teams per ward,” Cholan added.

Details collected in the door-to-door paperless survey will be uploaded on the Namma Samudaya app, developed by BBMP. For the rest of state, the earlier health watch survey that was done to record the number of senior citizens, comorbid persons, pregnant and vulnerable people, will be used to vaccinate the general public. The Centre announced on Wednesday that it will open registration for those aged above 60 years and those above 45 years with comorbidities.