Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar launched a mobile exhibition as an awareness campaign for Covid-19 vaccination and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Pune on Sunday.
A press release by the ministry stated, “Under this campaign, 16 specially fabricated vans will travel across 36 districts of Maharashtra to spread awareness among people.”
The campaign has been structured, formulated and enforced by the regional outreach bureau, Pune of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with collaboration of World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and also the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Division of the Maharashtra Health Department. The vans will be showcasing several messages via LED screens and the vans can be live tracked via GPS.
While addressing the event, Javadekar stated, “The whole world is fighting COVID-19. However, even with a population of 130 crores, India has managed to keep its losses lesser than Latin America, Europe, or America.”
Javadekar said that with the initiation of Covid-19 vaccination drive, a new phase of communication has begun. He said, “India’s vaccine roll out has begun. Ever since the launch of COVID vaccination programme, more than 50 lakh health and frontline workers have been vaccinated in the country. After frontline health workers, people who are over 50 years of age will be vaccinated and thereafter the whole population will be vaccinated.”
He further added that the mobile exhibition vans will be travelling for 80-100 kilometres on a daily basis to spread awareness regarding the vaccination programme. The motive of the campaign is to reach out the message of the vaccination plan and COVID-appropriate behaviour extending to the very last mile in Maharashtra.
Based on the various regions of Maharashtra, the awareness campaign will be catered as per the interests of the respective region, like, the cultural artists representing the Song and Drama Division (SSD) will be spreading the awareness via popular folk performances.
The Minister said, “Curbing misinformation and rumours surrounding vaccines and spreading awareness about government’s efforts towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat will be other objectives of this campaign.”
Communication has been a very important part in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. So, in this initiative the campaign intends to extend the Government’s communication to people’s doorsteps.