Vaccination drive kicks off in Goa, 700 recipients on the first day

The vaccination drive has been launched at seven centres in Goa with 700 health workers scheduled to be vaccinated on the first day.

Ranganath Bhoji, a Goa Medical College and Hospital employee, became the first person to get Covid-19 vaccination in Goa on Saturday. He was chosen through a draw of lots among the 2,000 health workers registered for vaccination at the state’s premier research institute.

Around 19,000 frontline workers have registered to be vaccinated. (AP file photo)

“Ranganath Bhoji was among the first persons to be deputed to work in the Covid-19 wards…set up last year,” S M Bandekar, the college dean said.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar and Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant, who oversaw the launch of the vaccination drive in the state, offered Bhoji flowers and congratulated him after the vaccination.

The vaccination drive has been launched at seven centres in Goa with 700 health workers scheduled to be vaccinated on the first day. As many as 11,000 people have been identified to be vaccinated in the first round of the drive. Around 19,000 frontline workers have registered to be vaccinated.