Centre to celebrate 1 billion doses milestone at Red Fort

The target is likely to be achieved on Thursday itself, so the event to commemorate it will begin at 12.30pm.

Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya will launch a song and an audio-visual film at the Red Fort on Thursday to celebrate the milestone of administering one billion Covid-19 vaccine doses, according to people familiar with the matter.

The states and Union territories have so far received at least one billion Covid-19 vaccine doses from the Centre and through direct procurement.

The target is likely to be achieved on Thursday itself, so the event to commemorate it will begin at 12.30pm.

While various government functionaries and other stakeholders will participate, the central government will also mark the occasion through public announcements at airports, railway stations, ports, bus stations and metro rail stations at the precise moment when India achieves the one-billion target.

“People are excited about this milestone not just in India but globally also as many countries have shown interest in knowing how India has made it possible to jab so many people. The number of doses that we have already administered is even greater than the population of many countries,” said the health minister last week while elaborating on the plan.

Under the national Covid-19 immunisation drive, at least 991 million vaccine doses have been administered since the countrywide drive was launched on January 16, according to government data.

The states and Union territories have so far received at least one billion Covid-19 vaccine doses from the Centre and through direct procurement. States also have 107.8 million balance and unutilised doses.

Many other organisations are also celebrating the event individually.

The Union health minister, last week, also launched videos documenting efforts of Covid-19 warriors.

From eight states, 13 Covid warriors, including doctors, ambulance drivers, volunteers and other healthcare workers have been identified as ‘Sentinels of the Soil’ and their experiences published in a book and videos.

The Centre on Saturday also released a Covid-19 vaccination anthem produced by singer and musician Kailash Kher to bust myths and slay vaccine hesitancy.

Close to 75% of the country’s eligible population has already received at least the first dose of the Covid vaccine with India’s Covid immunisation drive picking up pace owing to improved vaccine supplies.

Also, at least 30% of eligible adults have been fully vaccinated in the country so far, according to government data.