Union Health Ministry Launches Awareness Campaign For COVID-19 Vaccination Drive

New Delhi: Vaccination against COVID-19 will lead to people not transmitting the disease and its eradication in some time, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said on Thursday (January 21) as he unveiled IEC (Information, Education and Communication ) posters to address the emerging issue of vaccine hesitancy in some sections of the population. Commenting on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, he said, “The paradox is that countries across the globe are asking us for access to the vaccines, while a section of our own is fomenting misinformation and doubt for narrow political ends.”

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More than eight lakh healthcare workers were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the country till 7 am on Thursday, according to the health ministry. Dr Vardhan reminded everyone of the achievements of India, the second-most populous country in the world, which is seeing a steady decline in the number of active coronavirus cases.

The elimination of polio and small pox was made possible by large-scale immunisation. Once immunised, not only that person is not capable of catching the disease, he or she is also unable to transmit the disease to others, thus passing on the social benefit to the larger society he or she interacts with. This was also the logic of undertaking mass immunisation of women and children against 12 diseases under Mission Indradhanush. The vaccination against COVID will similarly create persons incapable of transmitting the disease and eradicate the disease altogether in some time, he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the health ministry.

The minister urged everyone to counter the “vested campaigns of untruth and misinformation”. “Let us put a stop to these falsehoods,” he said. Dr Vardhan appealed to people to seek correct information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines from credible and authentic sources such as the health ministry, the information and broadcasting ministry, the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the MyGov website etc., according to the statement.

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He reiterated that “truth is powerful and shall prevail” and encouraged everyone to share the IEC posters to multiply the virtuous cycle of truth. Commenting on the safety and efficacy of the COVID vaccines, the health minister said,

All eminent doctors of well-known hospitals have taken the vaccines and praised the exercise for its desired end. It is only a handful of vested political interests who are interested in spreading rumour and encouraging vaccine hesitancy among those vulnerable to such propaganda in the population. The paradox is that countries across the globe are asking us for access to the vaccines, while a section of our own is fomenting misinformation and doubt for narrow political ends.

He said eminent doctors, along with many other healthcare workers within the government as well as the private sector, have taken the vaccines and returned to work without any side-effects.

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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.