India vaccinations cross 750 million

“WHO congratulates India for scaling up Covid-19 vaccination at an unprecedented pace,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia region.

India on Monday delivered 6.7 million more doses of coronavirus vaccines till 6pm, administering more than 750 million doses in all.

A health worker administers a dose of Covid-19 vaccine to a beneficiary, at a district hospital in Noida, on Monday. (PTI)

At least 570 million people have received at least one dose, which means 60% of the eligible adult population has now received a shot.

“WHO (World Health Organization) congratulates India for scaling up Covid-19 vaccination at an unprecedented pace. While it took 85 days to administer the first 100 million doses, India reached 750 million doses from 650 million in just 13 days,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia region.

The UN health body responded after Union minister for health and family welfare Mansukh Mandaviya announced the milestone achievement through a tweet, saying that the country’s vaccination drive continued was making new gains under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

‘Congratulations India! In the 75th year of independence, the country has crossed the figure of 75 crore vaccinations,” the health minister tweeted with hashtags #SabkoVaccineMuftVaccine and #AazadiKaAmritMahotsav.

So far, all eligible beneficiaries in six states and Union Territories -- Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Ladakh and Lakshadweep -- have received at least one dose.

In all, 180 million people have been fully vaccinated, according to the government’s Co-WIN dashboard.

“The Union government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of Covid-19 vaccination throughout the country. The country has also become home to more than 99% health care workers and frontline workers vaccinated with one shot of Covid vaccine,” said the health ministry in a statement.

On Monday, the member countries of WHO South-East Asia Region also resolved to work towards making ‘every school a health promoting school’, while also committing to safe school operations during the pandemic.

“Schools have an important role in promoting healthy lifestyles, life-long healthy behaviors and to nurture human capital for sustainable development of any society. We need a whole-of-government approach to ensure children from all socio-economic background, including those with special needs, benefit from healthy schools,” said Singh.