World's largest COVID-19 vaccine drive celebrates Make in India at scale that is unparalleled: PM Narendra Modi; here are top highlights

PM Modi termed the Indian response to coronavirus as one of self-confidence and self-reliance.

Photo: PIB

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (January 16, 2021) launched the world's largest COVID-19 vaccine drive and said that it celebrates Make in India at a scale that is unparalleled.

Prime Minister Modi launched the pan India rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination drive via video conferencing and expressed that this trust in Indian vaccine expertise and Indian vaccine scientists are going to be further strengthened by the Made in India Corona vaccine. 

Our #LargestVaccineDrive celebrates @makeinindia, at a scale that is unparalleled. pic.twitter.com/QYYiJZ5cPW — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2021

Here are the top highlights from PM Modi's speech:

1. PM Modi said that the Indian vaccines are not only much cheaper than the foreign vaccines but they are much easier to administer too. 

2. The Prime Minister put the unprecedented scale of the vaccination drive in perspective by informing that, in the first round itself, 3 crore people, which is more than the population of at least 100 countries of the world, are being vaccinated. 

3. He said that this needs to be taken up to 30 crores in the second round when elderly and people with serious co-morbidities will be vaccinated. 

4. He said that there are only three countries - India, the USA, and China, which have a population of more than 30 crores and that this scale of vaccination campaign has never been attempted in history and this shows India's capability.

5. PM Modi asked people to stay away from rumours and propaganda as these Made in India vaccines have been approved for emergency use only after the scientists and experts were fully convinced about their safety and efficacy. He pointed out that 60 percent of children across the world receive life-saving vaccines that are made-in-India and pass through stringent Indian scientific tests.

6. PM termed the Indian response to coronavirus as one of self-confidence and self-reliance and recalled the journey from one COVID-19 lab to the strong network of 2300 labs, from dependence to self-sufficiency to exporting capacity in masks, PPE and ventilators. 

7. The Prime Minister said that India's response to the crisis has been acknowledged globally and was an example of the integrated and unified response from centre, states, local governments, government offices, social bodies who performed efficiently in unison.

A swift and people-powered response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. #LargestVaccineDrive pic.twitter.com/d88OLOmd0e — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2021

8. PM congratulated the country for a united and brave fight against corona and dwelled at length on the contribution of doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, ambulance drivers, ASHA workers, sanitation workers, police, and other frontline workers who endangered their lives to save other. "Some of them didn’t even return to their homes as they lost their lives in the fight against the virus," said PM Modi. 

9. PM Modi said that the frontline warriors brought hope in an environment of despondency and fear, today, by vaccinating them first, the country is acknowledging their contribution with gratitude.

India is guided by a human-centric approach that will always work to further global good. #LargestVaccineDrive pic.twitter.com/hGC0WKTnvT — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2021

After the speech, PM Modi took to his Twitter and said, 'India begins the world's #LargestVaccineDrive. This is a day of pride, a celebration of the prowess of our scientists and the hard work of our medical fraternity, nursing staff, police personnel, and sanitation workers."

India begins the world’s #LargestVaccineDrive. This is a day of pride, a celebration of the prowess of our scientists and hardwork of our medical fraternity, nursing staff, police personnel and sanitation workers.

May everyone be healthy and free from illness. pic.twitter.com/AEpMMEAyzR — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2021

Notably, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had earlier this month approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country.