Around 1,500 truckers vaccinated in first phase; second phase begins
New Delhi: SaveLIFE Foundation (SLF) has partnered with DHL Express India to vaccinate truck drivers from across the country to safeguard the community that has been at the forefront of delivering essential goods and services during the pandemic.
Driven by its corporate purpose of Connecting people, improving lives, DHL Express India is supporting the initiative to vaccinate 3,000 truck drivers by funding vaccine doses and the end-to-end expenses of setting up a vaccination camp.
The drive is being conducted in a phased manner, where around 1500 truck drivers were given Covid-19 vaccination as part of the first phase held in December 2021. In the next phase, which will start in February, drivers from 15 states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal will be vaccinated.
Commenting on the initiative, R.S Subramanian, Senior VP and MD, DHL Express India said, “We all need to work together, both now and in the future to fight against Covid-19 pandemic. Frontline workers, including truck drivers, play a critical role in the delivery of goods, and keeping them safe is of utmost priority. We are happy to support such initiatives and contribute to the communities we serve.”
Commenting on the partnership, Piyush Tewari, Founder and CEO of SaveLIFE Foundation stated that, “Truck drivers spend most of their time on the road which makes them vulnerable to the virus and its evolving variants. We remain grateful to DHL Express India for their continued support to this initiative.”
Truck drivers form the backbone of the logistics sector. While they are the most important stakeholder in ensuring smooth transportation of goods over long distances, they continue to remain vulnerable due to the fragmented and informal nature of the trucking industry.75% of the drivers are getting their second dose and this drive will ensure that they are at minimal risk. The initiative is being implemented through Humsafer, an organization working with truck drivers.
