President Ram Nath Kovind Urges People To Utilise ‘Lifeline’, Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19

New Delhi: Lauding the country’s scientists for their success in manufacturing vaccines against coronavirus in record time, President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday (January 25) urged citizens to “utilise the lifeline” and get vaccinated against COVID-19 according to laid down guidelines. In his address to the nation on the eve of 72nd Republic Day, the President recalled the work done by corona-warriors in the fight against COVID-19 said the future generations will recall their heroic response to the crisis. The President said that due to joint efforts, India has been able to keep the fatality rate lower in the country compared to that in developed countries.

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He said the administration and health services were working with full readiness for the success of the vaccination drive and “your health opens the way for your advancement”. The President said that after about a year of this unforeseen ordeal, India “stands not despondent but confident”. He said country’s scientists have added a glorious chapter of contribution to the well-being of humanity by their accomplishment of developing a vaccine against COVID-19.

“From space to the farms, from educational institutions to hospitals, the community of scientists has enriched our life and work. Our scientists have been working day and night for decoding the coronavirus and they have succeeded in developing the vaccine in record time. With this accomplishment, our scientists have added a glorious chapter of contribution to the well-being of humanity,” he said.

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A self-reliant India has manufactured its own vaccine for COVID-19, and is now undertaking a mass vaccination drive, which will be the largest exercise of its kind in history. The administration and health services are working with full readiness to make this exercise a success. I urge the countrymen to utilise this lifeline and get vaccinated as per guidelines. Your health opens the way for your advancement, he added.

India has given emergency use authorisation to two COVID-19 vaccines, Covishied being manufactured by Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, an indigenous vaccine developed by Bharat Biotech in association with ICMR. Noting that India is being rightly called ‘pharmacy of the world’ as it is supplying medicines and other healthcare items to several countries to alleviate people’s suffering and contain the pandemic across the globe, he said the country was now also providing vaccines to other countries. The President expressed his condolences to families who lost their members due to COVID-19 pandemic.

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I am thinking here of doctors, nurses, paramedics, healthcare administrators and sanitation workers who put their own lives at risk to care for COVID-19 patients. Some of them even lost their lives. Along with them, about 1.5 lakh people became victims of this pandemic. I convey my condolences to the bereaved families. Our frontline corona-warriors were ordinary citizens who turned out to be extraordinary. When the history of this tragic chapter, which is not yet over, is written, I am confident that the future generations will behold you all for the heroic response to the crisis for which no one could have truly prepared, he said.

“The net outcome of all these efforts is before us. After about a year of this unforeseen ordeal, India today stands not despondent but confident. The slowdown has turned out to be transitory as the economy has regained its dynamism,” he added.

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The President said the scientists have strengthened national endeavours by their contribution to food security, national security, protection against disease and disasters and to different areas of development.

Our scientists, along with doctors, administrators and people from other walks of life, have made a major contribution in containing the virus and keeping the fatality rate lower in our country, compared to that in developed countries. Thus, all our farmers, soldiers and scientists deserve special appreciation and a grateful nation greets them on this auspicious occasion of the Republic Day, he said.

The President said the country’s effective response to the pandemic would not have been possible without the constitutional value of ‘Fraternity’.

Last year, as humanity almost came to a halt in the face of a calamity of gigantic proportions, I often found myself reflecting on the central message of the Constitution. Our effective response to the pandemic would not have been possible without our constitutional value of ‘Fraternity’. Indians have been like a close-knit family, making exemplary sacrifices to protect each other in the face of the common enemy of coronavirus, he said.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.