Hyderabad: It is a big day, of historical importance, for healthcare works in Telangana as they received the first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine today as a part of massive inoculation drive across Telangana.
After Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the nation-wide vaccination drive at 10:30 am on Saturday, Telangana gave its first vaccine to S Krishnamma, a sanitation worker at the state-run Gandhi Hospital. A COVID-19 recovered patient herself, she recounted horrifying moments of being isolated at home in July and not being able to cater to her family, who tested positive for the deadly virus too.
Meanwhile, Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender along with Minister for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and others participated in vaccination drive at Gandhi Hospital today.
Gayatri, a vaccinator at the primary health care center in Narsingi, said: “We are very happy that we can save lives by vaccinating our own health workers”.
K Jayamma, a health care worker from Narsingi Public Health Care Centre received the first shot there. She had an emotional moment post the vaccine, describing the hardships frontline workers faced during the pandemic. She urged all to build confidence and take the COVID-19 vaccine.
As many as 4,000 health care workers in government-run facilities will be the early beneficiaries of the vaccine, the health ministry said on Friday. 30 beneficiaries will get vaccinated at each of 139 sites established by the Telangana health department.
The vaccine for the health workers was rolled out in about 13 centres in Hyderabad, including Gandhi and Osmania General Hospitals, ENT Hospital, Chest Hospital, King Kothi, Nampally, Vanasthalipuram, Golconda and Kondapur Area Hospitals
IT and Municipal Administration Minister K.T Rama Rao will also be participating in vaccination program at Thilak Nagar UPHC in Amberpet Constituency.
BJP MLA from Goshamahal constituency T Raja Singh along with frontline workers participated in the vaccination drive at Osmania General Hospital.
In the Urban Primary Health Care Centre (UPHC) at Talabkatta in Santhoshnagar circle AIMIM MLA from Yakutpura constituency Ahmed Pasha participated in the drive.