Milestone achieved with meticulous planning: UNICEF congratulates India on reaching 2 billion COVID-19 vaccination mark

Milestone achieved with meticulous planning: UNICEF congratulates India on reaching 2 billion COVID-19 vaccination mark

On Sunday, 17 July, cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in India surpassed 200-crore or 2 billion mark

Yasumasa Kimura, UNICEF India Representative said: "Guided by the country's leadership, relentless efforts of many actors including healthcare and frontline workers, India has made this tremendous achievement possible."

Kimura further said that completing two billion doses of vaccines in 18 months in a country as vast and diverse as India, is a phenomenal accomplishment and a testament to the grit and dedication of India’s health workers who have worked tirelessly to boost vaccination coverage in all parts of the country, despite the challenges of repeated pandemic waves, inclement weather, difficult terrain and hard-to-reach areas.

"This is a moment to also honour the hard work of scientists, health practitioners, vaccine manufacturers, and policy makers who ensured timely availability and equity in vaccines reaching all. Driven by the vision of vaccinating its eligible population, backed by meticulous planning, India has successfully achieved this milestone," he added.

On Sunday, 17 July, cumulative doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in India surpassed 200-crore or 2 billion mark, going past a global milestone in the ongoing battle against the pandemic.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic response, UNICEF is pleased to have extended support to the Government of India by procuring and supplying over 4,195 pieces of electrical cold chain equipment, including walk-in coolers, freezers, ice lined refrigerators, and deep freezers. We also supplied more than 600,000 pieces of cold boxes and vaccine carriers,” Kimura said.

Milestone achieved with meticulous planning: UNICEF congratulates India on reaching 2 billion COVID-19 vaccination mark
No takers for AstraZeneca Covid vaccine: Canada will throw away 13.6 million expired doses

He further said that UNICEF continues to support the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in the national communication campaigns to promote behaviours to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus and in further accelerating India’s vaccination drive.

"Our support in communication, advocacy and social mobilization helped raise awareness about the importance of vaccination campaigns. Real time media monitoring has helped bust myths, counter mis/disinformation and fake news impeding vaccines uptake. Simplified scientific messages and compelling audio-visual materials created by UNICEF have helped disseminate accurate information on time and to support the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, under the Government’s vaccination programme," Kimura said.

According to the government data, as on 17 July, 82 per cent of adolescents aged bewteen 15 and 18 have also been vaccinated with the first dose since the vaccination for this age group began on 3 January, while 68 per cent have got both the first and second dose.

Eighty one per cent of those aged 12-14 years have taken the first dose while 56 per cent are fully vaccinated.

The health ministry said that 71 per cent of the vaccination has taken place in COVID vaccination centres located in rural areas and 29 per cent in urban areas.

Also, 48.9 per cent of the total doses were administered to men while 51.1 per cent to women.

According to the data, 0.02 per cent of total vaccine doses administered were given to 'Others'.

A total of 5,63,67,888 precaution doses have been administered to all eligible population.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
Indians In Gulf
www.indiansingulf.in