C'garh: 5,592 healthcare workers vaccinated on day one

As many as 5,592 healthcareworkers out of expected 9,135 beneficiaries, includingdoctors and employees of government hospitals, were inoculatedfor COVID-19 in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, officials said.

The first day of the nationwide drive went smoothly atall 97 centres in the state, they said.

''So far post-vaccination complication has not beenreported anywhere,'' said state Mission Director for theNational Health Mission Priyanka Shukla.

Total of 5,592 persons were inoculated, she told PTI.

Earlier, officials had said that 9,135 persons were toreceive the jab on day one.

''I am glad to have become part of this historic day. Iam feeling happy and completely normal,'' said Tulsa Tandi(51), a woman sanitation worker at Dr BR Ambedkar MemorialHospital here who was the first to receive the jab in thestate.

Tandi was administered Covishield vaccine at PanditJawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College, which is among fivevaccination centres in Raipur district, an official said.

Tandi, who has worked in the COVID-19 ward of thehospital since the outbreak last March, said she nevercontracted the infection.

The other four vaccination centres here are All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur, Districthospital Pandri, NHMMI hospital and Mission hospital, Tilda.

AIIMS Raipur Director Dr Nitin M Nagarkar and MalkhanJangade, a housekeeping staff of the institute, took the firstshot of the vaccine at the AIIMS centre.

''We can say that the worst phase of COVID-19 isover...It is a proud moment for the entire county as we aregetting a 'made in India' vaccine,'' Dr Nagarkar said.

Jangade said he was absolutely normal, adding thatpeople should have no fear about the vaccine.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the ''frontlinewarriors'' (healthcare workers and others) are now ''fulfillinganother responsibility of service to humanity by taking dosesthemselves to build the trust among people on the vaccine.'' ''Best wishes to everyone including sister Tulsa Tandiji,'' Baghel tweeted.

As many as 2,67,399 beneficiaries are registered toreceive vaccine shots during the first phase of the drive,said Shukla, nodal officer for vaccination drive in the state.

PTI TKP BNMKRK KRK