PANAJI/SALIGAO/BICHOLIM: A total of 8,189 people were administered the
vaccine on Sunday, the highest seen till date. More than 50% of them were inoculated at 16 panchayats while the rest received their vaccine at both private and public hospitals on the second day of the four-day long
Tika Utsav.
Health minister Vishwajit Rane said the government is confident of ensuring all the eligible beneficiaries will be vaccinated against the virus. “The vaccine is one of our strongest weapons against Covid-19,” he said.
The Tika Utsav was held across the panchayats of Pilerne, Penha de Franca, Socorro, Pirna, Thane, Nagargao, Nachinola, Morjim, Narve, Oxel, Merces, Korgao, Pale, Mencurem, Poiguinim and Cumbharjua.
The highest number of vaccines were administered at Merces panchayat by the Chimbel health centre followed by Pale panchayat by the Sakhali helath centre, Pilerne panchayat by the Candolim health centre and Penha de Franca Panchaayt by the Porvorim health centre.
The drive also saw a good turnout in
Saligao with 397 persons coming out to receive the vaccine. The vaccination drive commenced at 9am in collaboration with the Candolim primary health centre. “We received a very good response from the people with many turning up voluntarily,” said panch member of Pilerne panchayat Karan Govekar.Villages of
Bicholim also saw locals coming out in significant numbers for their first dose.
The vaccination programme was organised at the primary health centre in Velguem, Bicholim. Citizens from Pale, Surla, Kudne, Navelim, Amona, Harvalem and Velguem turned up to get vaccinated. Altogether 189 persons received the shot.
Expressing his gratitude to the people of Velguem who came out to receive the jab, sarpanch Mahesh Gawande said, “If every citizen of the country cooperates, the country will be free of Covid-19 with the help of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”