Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and called it the ‘triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians’
Representational image. News18
India has achieved a new milestone in COVID-19 vaccinations today, 21 October, by administering one billion or 100 crore vaccines. The figure includes both partially and fully vaccinated people. According to reports, India is the second country after China to achieve this milestone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to commemorate the achievement, calling it the “triumph of Indian science, enterprise and collective spirit of 130 crore Indians”.
Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated all researchers, scientists, and healthcare workers for the milestone, and extended his best wishes to Modi as well.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya took to social media to celebrate the achievement, calling the milestone a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
NITI Aayog health member Dr VK Paul said that it is “remarkable” that the country has crossed the one billion vaccination mark in a matter of nine months. He added that efforts must be made to ensure that the remaining population is vaccinated.
World Health Organisation (WHO) South East Asia regional director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said that reaching the milestone would not have been possible “without strong political leadership, inter-sectoral convergence, dedicated efforts of the entire health & frontline workforce”. She added that the achievement needed to be seen in the context of India’s efforts to ensure that the coronavirus vaccines are available globally.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that India had achieved “what looked impossible a few months ago”. He thanked the prime minister for his leadership during the pandemic.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the employees of the Indian Railways has played a major role in achieving the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations. He requested people to shun vaccine hesitancy and get the jab against COVID-19 .
BJP national secretary BL Santosh said the milestone was “a phenomenal achievement”, praising healthcare workers and scientists for their efforts.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma expressed that the 100 crore vaccine milestone was because of the commitment of the country’s frontline workers in battling the pandemic.
According to news reports, the government wants the entirety of the country’s 944 million adults to be vaccinated in 2021. About 74 percent of the country’s adult population is partially vaccinated, while approximately 31 percent are fully jabbed.