Breaking the Cold Wind, 'Helping Hands' Goes... Free Flu Vaccination Project for Homeless and Ssokbangchon Residents

Busan Volunteer Center, Vaccination and Tuberculosis Screening at Jjokbang Counseling Center
Sanofi Pasteur Co., Ltd. Supporting Flu Vaccines Since 2018

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Busan City and the Busan Volunteer Center are promoting a free flu vaccination project called ‘Helping Hands’ to manage the health of homeless people and residents of ‘jjokbang’ rooms during the winter season.

‘Helping Hands’ supports a healthy winter for homeless people and jjokbangchon residents who are in the blind spots of vaccination, with flu vaccines sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur Korea, the vaccine division of the global healthcare company Sanofi.

Busan City conducted a pilot project in 2018, and by last year, about 600 people had received flu vaccinations.

The sponsoring organization, Sanofi Pasteur Korea, has provided flu vaccinations to residents in medical blind spots in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and other areas over the past 10 years, supporting a total of 46,100 people up to this year.

This year, to minimize face-to-face contact and prevent the spread of COVID-19, medical staff will directly administer vaccinations at two locations: the Dong-gu jjokbang counseling center on the 19th and the Busanjin-gu jjokbang counseling center on the 21st.

Remaining vaccines after the vaccinations will be supplied to free clinics for the homeless to enable further vaccinations. Along with the vaccinations on these days, tuberculosis screenings will be conducted by the Busan branch of the Korean Tuberculosis Association, and ‘Happiness Boxes’ containing food, masks, and other items made by the Busan University Student Talent Donation Volunteer Group and the HF University Student Volunteer Group will be distributed to vaccine recipients.

Following last year, this year’s project is also carried out through talent donations and collaboration among various organizations. Green Doctors provide medical personnel support, the Busan branch of the Korean Tuberculosis Association conducts tuberculosis screenings, manages vaccine storage locations, and handles waste disposal, Busan City supports administrative matters, the Busan Nursing Association dispatches nursing volunteer groups, the Busan Homeless Facilities Association manages homeless and other target groups, the Busan Volunteer Center oversees the project, and Sanofi Pasteur Korea sponsors the flu vaccines.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.