Highlights
- There's no VIP culture in the Covid vaccination drive: PM Modi
- PM congratulated the country for achieving the feat
- China is the only nation to dish out more vaccine doses than India
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Friday (October 22), a day after India achieved the ne billion COVID-19 vaccinations milestone mark. PM Modi described India’s COVID-19 vaccination drive as a journey from “anxiety to assurance” that has made the country emerge stronger, and credited its success to people’s trust in the vaccines despite “various efforts to create mistrust and panic”. During his speech, PM Modi asked people to continue to exercise caution during Diwali and other upcoming festivals and said that masks have to become a part of life till the pandemic is over.
Addressing the nation. Watch LIVE. https://t.co/eFdmyTnQZi
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 22, 2021
Also Read: India Reaches 1 Billion COVID-19 Vaccination Milestone
Here are PM Modi's top five quotes:
- India has vaccinated 100 crore people, and that too for free. India’s position as a pharma hub will get more acceptance in the world. The vaccine programme shows ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas aur Sabka Prayas’. Our nation did its duty. There’s no VIP culture in the Covid vaccination drive.
- 100 crore vaccine jabs is just not a number. It is the reflection of the capacity of this country, this is a new chapter of the country, a country that knows how to achieve huge targets.
- People said how ‘taali thalli’ (clapping and clanging utensils to honour frontline health workers) will help eradicate the virus. But it was a reflection of people’s participation and capacity. This success reflects the important place of technology that not even big nations have today. Our entire vaccine programme is a result of technology. It is science-born, science-driven and science-based. Science and the scientific approach are at the heart of it.
- Everyone is comparing India to other countries but remember India’s starting point was different. The other countries have always participated in medicine and vaccination for a long time and everyone questioned whether India will be able to do the needful. 100 crore vaccine jabs is an answer to all the questions.
- Experts are very positive about the Indian economy. There is employment for the young but there are also unicorns with record capital. From ‘Gati Shakti’ to new drone rules, the economy will get a boost.
According to the government, around three-quarters of adults in the country of 1.3 billion people have had one shot and around 30 percent are fully vaccinated. China is the only nation to dish out more vaccine doses than India, having fully inoculated some 1.05 billion, or 75 per cent of its citizens, as of late September.
Also Read: Decision On Vaccination Of Children To Be Based On Scientific Rationale: Dr V K Paul
NDTV and Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. 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 will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, that is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that 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 the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
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