Ensuring the safety of migrant labourers who remain exposed to the pandemic threat, the Labour Department has successfully completed the first dose vaccination of about 90% of the workers in Kozhikode district. A special drive organised last Saturday alone covered 20,000 workers which helped the department achieve the target and set a model for the rest of the districts in the State.
“With this, we have given the first dose to 24,000 migrant labourers in Kozhikode district alone. It is the highest figure achieved by a district in Kerala in a short time with the support of the Health Department,” said Assistant Labour Officer L.N. Anooj. He added that the first round of the vaccination drive held by organising special camps had covered 4,000 workers.
According to official figures, the approximate number of migrant workers in Kozhikode district would come around 32,000. Total vaccination would be possible by covering the remaining 8,000 by organising special vaccination camps.
Labour Department officials said it was the support extended by District Collector N. Tej Lohit Reddy which helped them organise such a mega vaccination drive last Saturday. The arrangements for the drive were done on short notice and the complete resources of the department were used to mobilise beneficiaries, they said.
Many districts covered the migrant population after several months of efforts and special drives. According to officials, districts like Ernakulam, where migrant workers’ population is very high, achieved the 21,000 target after three months’ effort.
