With 53.86L plus-doses, HP 1st vaccinated state

Shimla: Within three months after attaining 100 per cent vaccination of the first, Himachal Pradesh on Sunday became the country's first state to vaccinate all 100% eligible population with both doses.

The state has vaccinated a total eligible population of 53.87 lakh persons above 18 years of age against a target of 53.77 lakh, both the doses.

The day was also marked by another highlight when national BJP president J P Nadda also inaugurated the OPD block of upcoming AIIMS, Bilaspur – his pet project in the native town, sanctioned during his tenure as union

health minister.

The Rs 1,471 crore project launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017 ,will finally be commissioned in June 2021, Nadda declared, also hinting that Prime Minister Modi will be invited in July 2021 to inaugurate the landmark medical facility in the hill state.

In his speech, Nadda not only traced how 22 AIIMS projects coming-up in the country and a Rs 500 cr PGI satellite centre in Una in Himachal Pradesh, will bring a revolution in the country's health infrastructure and help the people to get specialised health care at door steps.

"None else that an able leadership can think of such a development .Imagine had Modi not being the Prime Minister when the Covid outbreak and its spread created global crisis. Today, we have not only vaccinated a population of 127.61 crore but also India is exporting vaccine to 50 countries "he told a public gathering at the AIIMS, Bilaspur.

Union minister for health Mansukh Mandaviya, Union minister for information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, besides cabinet ministers and senior government officials attended the event, through which the BJP government tried to hard sell its achievement

of 100 percent vaccination of two doses.

Mandaviya said Himachal Pradesh has shown a way to other states of the country by achieving this unique distinction of cent percent vaccination. "I will tell the state that if Himachal Pradesh, in such difficult conditions can achieve this landmark ,why can't be others," he said.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur termed it as a historic occasion for the state as the achievement has come despite the difficult geographical conditions.

He said that the doctors, health workers, ASHA workers, had done wonderful work and made the people of the State proud. He said that people of Bara Bangal in Kangra district and Malana village in Kullu district were vaccinated by airlifting the vaccine, doctors and paramedical staff.

Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur said that due to the timely and appropriate decisions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country successfully handled the pandemic. He said that the AIIMS Bilaspur would be ready within the next six years and people of the State would get world class health facilities in this institution. He also congratulated the State for ensuring zero percent wastage of vaccine

He said the AIIMS project since falls in his parliamentary constituency, he was happy that despite the Covid crisis and lockdown the project progressed well though could have come-up even earlier had the pandemic not created a situation of lockdown.

The project is spread in an area of 250 acres and will have facilities like ICU and other specialised care for the people who earlier had to travel to Delhi and PGI chandigarh and many lives were lost during the journey or lack of timely health care.