Vaccination awareness, eagerness and hesitancy in urban communities of Mumbai & Pune

The World Health Organization website defines vaccine hesitancy as the “delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines” despite their availability. This report studies the phenomenon in the slum settlements of Mumbai and Pune.Published on June 29, 2021, it contains the results of a survey conducted by seven Mumbai- and Pune-based organisations working on health, livelihood and education: Akanksha Foundation; Apnalaya; Foundation for Mother and Child Health; iTeach; Magic Bus Foundation; Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action; and Teach for India.The report draws on the interviews of 3,675 slum residents – 56 per cent of whom are women – between the ages of 18 and 60. Of these, 2,343 people are from Mumbai and 1,332 from Pune. The study included quantitative and qualitative data, collected over calls at the household- as well as community-level. It attempts to gauge their perception and awareness of the Covid-19 vaccine services; ascertain their vaccination status; understand the barriers to availing these services; as well as suggest ways to encourage communities to get inoculated.The report found that only 19 per cent of respondents and their family members had received at least one shot. About 49 per cent of respondents who were not yet inoculated were willing to take the vaccine; the rest were either unwilling or undecided about it.The 16-page publication contains five chapters: Introduction (chapter 1); Study Design (chapter 2); Sample Size (chapter 3); Study Findings (chapter 4); and Recommendations and next steps (chapter 5).