Doctors hail 100-crore Covid vaccine jab fete

Bengaluru: Celebrating India's milestone for administration of 100 crore Covid-19 vaccination doses, renowned medical professionals and experts described the feat as monumental.

Of the 100 crore doses, Karnataka had a share of 6.21 crore doses. The vaccination drive, which was kicked off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, is the fastest in the world.

Dr Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman of Manipal Hospitals, called it a herculean effort to complete a billion vaccinations in just 9 months.

"The government deserves praise for the effort," he said.

The challenge was four-fold for the government of India: fighting vaccine hesitancy, making available free vaccines, ensuring equitable distribution and managing vaccination in rural areas. "The Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has managed it with clinical precision," Dr Ballal said.

"Karnataka has always been at the forefront of the war on Covid right from the beginning of the pandemic. It is considered a model State in the management of Covid," Dr Ballal added.

Ballal, who is Chairman of the Technical Advisory Committee on Covid, said the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ji and Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar made this possible.

Dr Arundhathi Chandrashekar, Director of National Health Mission, responsible for the vaccination drive in Karnataka, said: "It is a proud moment for all Indians. In a span of just over 9 months, the world's largest vaccination drive has done 100 crore vaccinations."

Dr C N Manjunath, member of the Technical Advisory Committee on Covid, lauded the efforts of Karnataka government. "Vaccination drive is a complex exercise which involves managing supply chain, demand-supply management, operations management, motivation management among health workers and the State government has managed it very well," he said.

Chairman of Narayan Health Dr Devi Shetty called the achievement, a matter of incredible pride. "Two years ago none of us thought that we could vaccinate so many people, leave alone manufacturing and indigenous development of new vaccines. Today we have vaccinated 75% of eligible population and are in a safer position to combat Covid," he said.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar said four things contributed to the success of the largest vaccination drive in the world.

"This would not have been possible without the innovation of the scientists who produced the vaccine in such short time, leadership and foresight of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, support of Union Health Ministry, Chief Minister and Cabinet Colleagues and relentless hard work of health workers and district administration," he said.

"I am glad that Karnataka, under the leadership of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, has been able to contribute 6.2 per cent of the 100 crore doses administered in the country," Dr Sudhakar added.