India's Covid-19 vaccination programme will be an example for world: PM Modi on Mann Ki Baat

“India is conducting the biggest vaccination programme in the world and is also the fastest country to administer Covid-19 vaccine doses to citizens,” the Prime Minister said in his first 'Mann Ki Baat' address of the year.

Hailing India's war against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his monthly address 'Mann Ki Baat' on Sunday that the country’s vaccination programme has set an example for other countries.

Modi pointed out that over 3 million Covid warriors were inoculated in just 15 days in India while the US and the UK took 18 days and 36 days respectively to achieve this target. (PTI file photo)

“India is conducting the biggest vaccination programme in the world and is also the fastest country to administer Covid-19 vaccine doses to citizens,” the Prime Minister said in his first 'Mann Ki Baat' address of the year.

PM Modi pointed out that over 3 million Covid-19 warriors were inoculated in just 15 days in India while the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) took 18 days and 36 days respectively to achieve this target.

Speaking on the two in-house vaccines which are being administered currently, Modi said that Made-in-India vaccines were not only a symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) but also a symbol of the country's pride.

India has so far provided vaccine doses to over 3.7 million beneficiaries till now with 206,130 of them being inoculated on Saturday. The pan-India vaccination drive had started from January 16 where doses of Covaxin and Covishield - both approved by the drug regulator on January 3 - are being administered to healthcare and frontline workers.

Talking about India’s Covid-19 vaccine export drive to countries such as Brazil, Maldives, Morocco among many others, PM Modi said that this became possible after India turned self-reliant in the field of medicines and vaccines.

“You must have noticed about the vaccination programme that India is able to help others because India today is self-reliant in the field of medicines and vaccines,” the Prime Minister added.

India on Sunday added 13,052 fresh coronavirus cases and 127 new deaths which pushed the overall tally to more than 10.7 million. The active cases dropped to 168,784 while the recoveries stand at 10,423,125 and constitute 96.99% of the total caseload.