Imphal: So as not to leave out LGBTQ and ‘person living with HIV’ (PLHIV) despite of having the fear of social discrimination while getting Covid-19 vaccination, 100 people of the communities were vaccinated on Sunday at SIRD complex, Imphal East DC complex, Porompat.
The vaccination drive was carried by Ya_All in association with DC Imphal East and support from Youth LEAD, Bangkok.
Organising such vaccination drive exclusively for LGBTQ and PLHIV could feel safe while getting Covid-19 vaccination, Bobby Laishram, a trans-woman who joined the drive said.
She said most of the people among the communities feels hesitant to get vaccination with the fear that they may get social discrimination at vaccination centre. Due to the reason most of the people of the communities including PLHIV do not go for vaccination however the state government has been organising free vaccination for the entire population of the state, she added.
She said some people of the community might get the vaccine but most of them feels hesitant to go at vaccination centre. She expressed her gratitude for organising such vaccination drive especially for the two communities.
A member of Ya_All, Lulu Mangang said the vaccination drive is organised especially for LGBTQ and PLHIV communities. In the first phase of vaccination drive 100 population of LGBTQ and PLHIV have been vaccinated after approaching to their comfortable vaccination centres earlier.
He said when the people of the communities were contacted and asked to get the opportunity for vaccination, they refused to get vaccination as most of them have a fear that they might get discriminated by the society.
Covid-19 may get infected to any person who failed to follow the behaviour protocol irrespective of caste, creed or community.
As medical experts have been giving awareness that the only solution to avoid severe impact from Covid-19 is to get early vaccination and to follow strict guidelines. In order to fight against the pandemic from the side of the communities of LGBTQ and PLHIV apart from other communities the vaccination drive especially for the two communities is being organised, he added.
With the end of 2nd phase of vaccination, a total of 200 population from LGBTQ and PLHIV have been vaccinated.
Similar vaccination drive will be organising for other districts soon. If any person of the community wanted to get the vaccination but have the fear as they may be stigmatised then can contact Ya_All in order to get the opportunity for vaccination, Lulu said.
He said to encourage the people who came for vaccination from the two communities a sum of Rs 1,000 is handed over to each vaccinated person as self-care. The NGO also carried expenditure of fare for those persons who came on hired vehicle, he added.
He appealed the people of the two communities and others to get early vaccination as the only solution to avoid severe impact from the pandemic.
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