Vaccination drive begins in Assam, sub-divisional med officer first to receive jab

Assam joined the nation inlaunching the COVID-19 vaccination drive on Saturday, with amedical officer in Golaghat district becoming the first personin the state to receive the jab.

Dr Milan Kumar Laskar, the sub-divisional medicalofficer of Bokakhat, was administered the shot at 11.07 am ata public health centre, right after Prime Minister NarendraModi addressed the nation on the occasion.

Later, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched thestate-wide drive at Assam Medical College Hospital (AMCH) inDibrugarh, and Minister for Health and Family Welfare HimantaBiswa Sarma at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) here.

At GMCH, retired vice chancellor of SankardevaUniversity of Health Sciences, Dr Umesh Chandra Sarma, was thefirst person to receive the shot, followed by 11 otherprominent doctors, including its principal Dr Achyut Baishyaand superintendent Dr Abhijeet Sharma.

Similarly, in AMCH, its principal Dr Sanjiv Kakoti wasadministered the first dose.

The chief minister, after launching the drive, saidthat it was a ''moment of pride for the entire nation and amajor step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi'scall for an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', made possible only due tohis able leadership''.

He expressed hope that the people of the state willcooperate and make this exercise a success.

Sarma, on his part, stated that that the ''day was bothmomentous and emotional for us. It is a proud day for allIndians, and it is also a day to offer our gratitude andthanks to doctors and all health workers who foughtrelentlessly against the virus last year''.

An estimated 6,500 of the 1.9 lakh registered healthworkers, designated as COVID warriors, will be administeredthe vaccine on the first day at 65 centres, set up in sevenmedical college hospitals and 24 district and sub-divisionalmedical establishments.

During the second phase, one lakh frontline workersincluding security forces will be inoculated.

The state has received 2,21,500 doses so far --2,01,500 COVISHIELD and 20,000 COVAXIN.

As many as 2.9 lakh people in Assam have beenregistered on the 'CO-WIN' portal -- an online platform formonitoring the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine.