State to vaccinate all sex workers & transpersons in city

KOLKATA: The Department of Women and Child and Social Welfare will vaccinate all female sex workers and transpersons in areas under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

On Friday, Shashi Panja, minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare inaugurated one-time assistance to the female sex workers at Milan Tirtha club in Tollygunge. At the same event, about 170 female sex workers were vaccinated.

So far 4,850 female sex workers from Sonagachi, Jorabagan, Rambagan, Bowbazar, Kalighat, Chetla and Kidderpore and 197 transgender persons have been provided one-time assistance of 5 kg rice and three kg potato.

The camps have been organised by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). Firhad Hakim, Chairman, Board of Administrators of KMC were present at many of the camps. Apart from the female sex workers and transgender persons, short statured persons and distressed women across the state have been given the one-time assistance.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took the initiative to provide one-time assistance to marginalised distressed women in view of Covid pandemic. The work is being carried out in full swing across the state. Nearly 10,000 female sex workers have been provided one-time assistance across the state.