Proudest moment for our country: T'gana Guv on vaccine drive

Hyderabad, Jan 16 (IANS) Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Saturday encouraged the healthcare workers receiving the Covid-19 vaccine shots as she participated in the rollout programme.

Soundararajan, who herself is a physician, along with her husband and renowned nephrologist, P. Soundararajan, visited Nizam's Institute of Medical Science (NIMS) here and launched the vaccination drive.

The Governor who had visited NIMS in June at the peak of the pandemic to convey her support to doctors and other healthcare workers affected by Covid was back at the same hospital to inaugurate vaccination drive.

She stated that beginning of the vaccination is the proudest moment for the country.

"The vaccination to the frontline warriors is not just a mere vaccination, it is indeed a thanks giving injection to them for their selfless services since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic," she said.

The Governor stated that the launch of world's largest vaccination programme signalled the end of pandemic and the beginning of protection in our country.

"The last year was like the year of pandemic, now this new year is like the year of protection," she said and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the motivation and support to the scientists to develop the vaccine.

"Our Prime Minister has personally visited the Bharat Biotech Laboratory at the Genome Valley in Hyderabad and motivated the scientists to come up with effective vaccine to end the Covid-19," she added.

The governor stated that due to the relentless efforts of 'our scientists, we could come up with our own vaccine. We must be proud that we are not dependent upon any other country for the vaccine.'

She stated that India, especially Hyderabad, is emerging as the pharmaceutical capital of the world and noted that the country has been supplying medicines to more than 150 countries.

"Many countries are looking at India for the supply of our vaccine to protect their people.

Soon our country will start supplying Covid-19 vaccine to different countries as we have started vaccinating our frontline warriors."

Terming this day as 'the day to remember' in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, Soundararajan stated that it was a day to express gratitude to the frontline warriors.

Dispelling the myths about the vaccines, she said that the vaccines made in India are very safe.

"There should not be any hesitancy to take the vaccine. We need not be afraid to take the vaccine. It is the safe vaccine and even if there are any allergic or other minor complications due to the vaccine, there are special arrangements in place to deal with such complications, if any."

"As the First Citizen of the State, I would take the vaccine along with all other citizens," she added.

Earlier, she personally visited the vaccination room at the NIMS and observed the vaccination process for the first three frontline warriors.

She presented the frontline warriors, who took the first vaccination shots at NIMS, with flowers and appreciation letters after the vaccination and thanked them for being the frontline warriors.

--IANS

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