As India ‘administers 1.25 crore COVID-19 vaccines’ daily, PM Modi hails ‘vaccination champion’ Himachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Himachal Pradesh through video-conferencing.

While interacting with the healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Himachal Pradesh, PM Modi said India is administering 1.25 crore COVID-19 vaccines daily which is higher than the population of several countries.

Himachal Pradesh has become a champion by being the first state to administer the first dose of Covid vaccine to all eligible people despite logistic difficulties, he said through video conference.

He lauded Himachal Pradesh for becoming the first state to vaccinate 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and said that the state has given him an opportunity to be proud.

“Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a champion. It became the first state to vaccinate 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose and one-third of the population with the second dose,” PM Modi said while interacting with the healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Himachal Pradesh through video conference here.

“Himachal Pradesh has given me an opportunity to be proud. I have seen the state struggling for basic facilities but today we see them doing well. I want to congratulate and thank the government and teams here,” he said.

“Being a hilly state, Himachal had to face several obstacles in logistics, transportation and storage. But the situation was handled by the state government in a commendable manner,” he said praising the Himachal Pradesh government and the Chief Minister Jairam Thakur.

The Prime Minister also informed that apart from Himachal, Sikkim and Dadra Nagar Haveli have also vaccinated 100 per cent of its eligible population with the first dose against the COVID-19 thus achieving the milestone and many states are closer to achieve the same.

Interacting with Dr Rahul, who is posted in the Civil Hospital in Dodra Kwar area in Shimla, the Prime Minister said, “Using the COVID vaccine carefully can decrease the expenses of vaccination by 10 per cent.” “Teams were deployed to visit every house to spread awareness about virus and vaccination. We used to take feedback from the ASHA workers everyday and used to collect data to avoid the wastage of vaccine,” Dr Rahul said while interacting with PM Modi.

“I have seen that all the staff members including doctors, nurses and others have worked in a team to carry out the vaccination drive. We must not show leniency of any kind to complete the vaccination drive,” PM Modi said while interacting with a beneficiary, Dayal Singh from Thunag Mandi.

Himachal Pradesh has successfully covered its entire eligible population with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination, the Prime Minister’s Office said earlier on Sunday.

The efforts by the state included geographical prioritisation to focus on difficult terrains, initiatives to ensure mass awareness, and door-to-door visits by ASHA workers, among others, informed an official release by the Prime Minister’s Office.