- Sunday, February 23, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
India on Monday (21) saw a record 8.5 million vaccines being administered as a major boost to its battle against the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The country’s health ministry revealed the numbers and it came on the very first day of the revised guidelines for the vaccination drive.
The number of doses administered on Monday was the highest in a day since the drive was launched in the world’s second-most populous country on January 16. India is the second-worst affected nation with almost 30 million cases, next only to the United States with 33.5 million. India has vaccinated around 283 million people so far.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “Central Government is beginning the ‘Free Vaccination For All campaign’ for every Indian from today. The biggest beneficiary of this phase of India’s vaccination drive shall be the poor, the middle class and the youth of the country. All of us should pledge to get ourselves vaccinated. Together we will defeat COVID-19.”
Well done India, says Modi
He also lauded the vaccination numbers of Monday tweeting: “Today’s record-breaking vaccination numbers are gladdening. The vaccine remains our strongest weapon to fight COVID-19. Congratulations to those who got vaccinated and kudos to all the front-line warriors working hard to ensure so many citizens got the vaccine. Well done India!”
India’s Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar lauded the record achieved on the very first day, tweeting: “Almost 75 lakh vaccine doses administered today so far and counting….” India’s Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also praised the vaccination numbers of the first day under the revised guidelines.
As per the revised guidelines that the Centre released on June 8 following a wide criticism of its vaccine policy, the Government of India would procure 75 percent of the vaccines being procured by the country’s manufacturers. It was also said that the procured vaccines would be provided for free to the states and Union Territories which would administer them to all citizens for free through government vaccination centres. All people above the age of 18 years are eligible for the free vaccines.
Earlier, the states and private hospitals were allowed to procure 50 percent of the vaccines following demands for decentralisation of the process. However, following complaints from several states, including those on funding, Prime Minister Modi came up with the revised guidelines.
