Mumbai (Maharashtra), August 4 (ANI): A special camp for COVID-19 vaccination was organised for people from the tribal community residing in the Aarey colony of Mumbai by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The camp at the Khambacha Pada (hutment/ small village) area was inaugurated by Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister Aditya Thackeray on Monday.

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Officials said that more than 1,500 people have been vaccinated now in the area since Monday.

Due to accessibility issues and lack of awareness about the vaccination drive, the tribal communities of 27 villages in Aarey were deprived of the vaccination programme.

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"We are not educated, also were not aware of the process of the vaccination. Hence, so we were unable to go out to the vaccination centre. We understand that the importance of vaccination. We are grateful that this camp is organised. We took our first dose today," a local villager said.

A local Shiv Sena leader, Amit Pednekar, who is in-charge of helping the BMC for vaccination at the centre said: "Tribal people here were not vaccinated due to lack of awareness. These communities were not going to vaccination centres as they fear to contract Covid infection. Last time when Aditya Thackeray visited this place, many people had requested him for this camp".

According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 77,729 active COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra. As many as 61,10,124 recovered from the disease while 1,33,215 lost their lives. (ANI)

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