WHO's Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh congratulates India for administering over 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses

New Delhi: First Indian elected as Regional Director of World Health Organization (WHO)'s South-East Asia Region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh on Sunday congratulated India for setting a 'new record' by administering two billion vaccine doses within months.

In a conversation with ANI today, Dr Singh said, "Congratulations India for administering over 2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses. This is yet another evidence of the country's commitment and efforts to minimise the impact of the ongoing pandemic."

"COVID-19 vaccines provide protection against severe diseases and deaths for all variants. We must continue our efforts to ensure everyone everywhere benefits from these life-saving vaccines. Let us not forget that the pandemic is still around even after being administered with the vaccine. We must remember to take all precautionary measures to curtail the virus spread," the doctor said.

India has administered two billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine so far under the nationwide vaccination drive. "17th July 2022, a day to remember forever," tweeted Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

India's COVID-19 vaccination drive touched the 1 billion doses feat in October 2021, in just over nine months since the start of the drive. Now, India has reached another milestone of 2 billion doses.

"Witness the history in making! India under PM @NarendraModi Ji's leadership is all set to achieve the 200-crore COVID-19 vaccination mark! Countdown starts," tweeted Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on July 16.
In order to ensure protection against COVID-19, Mandaviya launched the "Covid Vaccination Amrit Mahotsav" on July 15 at the COVID Vaccination Camp in Nirman Bhawan.

Moments after India crossed the 2 billion Covid vaccine doses milestone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country has created history again and that India's vaccination drive is unparalleled in scale and speed. He congratulated all Indians on crossing the special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses. (ANI)