India News | IMA Hails PM Modi, Healthcare Workers as India's Administered Vaccine Doses Cross 100-crore Mark

New Delhi, Oct 21 (PTI) The Indian Medical Association (IMA) hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and healthcare workers as the country achieved a major milestone in its vaccination programme against COVID-19 with total administered doses surpassing the 100-crore mark on Thursday.

When many countries including western ones were witnessing more than 2.5 per cent COVID-19 mortality rate, India with its "altruistic leadership, passionately obligated" modern medical manpower and synchronised efforts of the ministry of health fostered the country's healthcare and kept the mortality under 1.4 per cent throughout the pandemic, the IMA said in a statement.

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"COVID-19 struck us in an unprecedented way resulting in heartbreaking casualties of both the public, nearly 2,000 doctors, and many political leaders too," the doctors' body said.

"Though there were many challenges on bed availability, oxygen shortage, drugs, and misinformation campaigns, which were effectively managed by the proactive leadership of the prime minister, the acme of accomplishment was the approval and roll-out of vaccination on January 16," it stated.

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When many raised concerns on the safety and efficacy of vaccines, the IMA said its leaders proactively propagated positively and voluntarily took the jabs on the first day.

"IMA salute the modern medical manpower who had taken this nationalistic task on their shoulders as a priority task, reaching out to the unreached and making the vaccination reach 1 billion needy people, with the Government of India giving it free of cost to the people," it said.

The association in its statement also appreciated the steps taken by the government task force to monitor post-vaccination symptoms and complications, their early detection and mitigate the negative propaganda.

"IMA constituted a special cell to monitor the outcome through the pharmacovigilance team and happy to note India is free from any untoward major incidents, though we have vaccinated the world's largest number today. Many doubting people with vested interest tried their best to promote negativism on vaccinations, the firm steps of our prime minister and the voices of IMA could scuttle their efforts to ensure today we are the world's largest vaccinators with indigenous production," the statement said.

Nearly 10 lakh people, who are due for a second dose have not taken the vaccination and special care must be taken to reach out to them also, the doctors' body said.

"We appeal to all to follow Covid appropriate behaviours by wearing proper masks and avoiding massive gatherings. IMA requests the government not to loosen the grip and ensure mass gatherings are prevented," the statement said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)