Himachal Pradesh Emerges As “Champion” In COVID Vaccination Drive, Says PM Modi, Urges To Avoid Vaccine Wastage

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (September 6) interacted with healthcare workers and beneficiaries of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Himachal Pradesh through video conference. The Prime Minister during the interaction urged the healthcare workers to avoid the wastage of the COVID-19 vaccine. 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.”

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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 (September 5). 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.

Himachal Pradesh has set a benchmark in the fight against COVID-19 by giving the first dose of vaccine to all eligible people. Will have the privilege of interacting with many such beneficiaries and health workers of the state through video conferencing tomorrow at 11 am, informed PM Modi in a tweet in Hindi.

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The state gave special attention to women, the elderly, divyangjans, industrial workers, daily wagers and undertook special campaigns like “Suraksha ki Yukti-Corona se Mukti” to attain this milestone.

PM Modi 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.

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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. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was present during the event.

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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.