Two lawyers have moved the Bombay High Court seeking directions to the Centre and State governments, along with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to start a door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination for citizens above 75 years of age and those who are specially abled or bed-ridden.
The plea filed by two Mumbai-based lawyers, Advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari sought direction to the authorities to provide a helpline number for advanced age senior citizen to book an appointment for the home visit of Doctor to Covid Vaccine with a medical facility.
Further, while citing that the authorities are doing extraordinary work in helping citizens get vaccinated, there are many individuals who are completely bed-ridden and/or people who are not in a position to move to a center nearby to get vaccinated.
Specially-abled and handicapped citizens across the country who are unable to visit COVID centers due to their disability can get vaccinated if a door-to-door vaccination facility is made available to them, the petitioners state. This would enable them to get vaccinated in time without causing a further health disaster, it is pointed out.
The plea has also sought directions for the arrangement of ambulances for pick-up drop services for advanced age Senior Citizens, specially-abled and medically challenged people who need such services to move out of their house to get vaccinated.
Further, the plea has urged the Court to waive off the compulsory Aadhaar card or Pan Card number entry details to book an online appointment for the vaccine.
According to the petitioners, if the respondents are unable to provide every citizen vaccine who are of advanced age and not in a position to go to the centers for vaccine then they will be violating such people’s right to life and good health under article 21 of the constitution.
As such, the plea has also urged the Court to direct the Central Government to set up a policy on an urgent basis for door-to-door COVID-19 vaccinations for senior citizens and specially-abled citizens.
