New Delhi: Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday felicitated the 72 best women Covid vaccinators from across the country and said the development of the health sector is incomplete without the contribution of women.
It is because of the selfless service of all women vaccinators that India has successfully managed the pandemic, he said at the event on International Women's Day .
"The development of the health sector is incomplete without the contribution of women. Our ASHA and ANM workers are the pillars of the health sector's development. Our ASHA workers are working relentlessly to serve the nation," Mandaviya said.
He also said that "they are reaching the last mile, traversing difficult terrains, going to every house to ensure that every eligible person is vaccinated".
Under the Har Ghar Dastak campaign, the minister said that Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) reached out to every household and promoted the uptake of vaccines, and thereby, overcame vaccine hesitancy.
"If today India is a global leader in Covid vaccination, the credit goes to our women vaccinators across the country," he said.
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Congratulating all women vaccinators, Mandaviya said, "It was January 16, 2021, when the world's largest vaccination programme was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and since then, India has not looked back."
"It is because of the selfless service of all women vaccinators to the nation that India has successfully managed the Covid Pandemic. India's management of the current third surge is a global case study and these women Covid warriors are the reason behind this historic success," he said.
Mandaviya said that India has the tradition and culture of respecting women since time immemorial.
Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said the national Covid vaccination drive became a 'jan andolan' because of the relentless efforts of all women vaccinators and the vision of Prime Minister Modi.
Women vaccinators have been the pioneers of India's vaccination programme and against all odds, they have been working relentlessly to ensure that each eligible Indian is vaccinated, she said.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said this year's International Women's Day theme 'Gender Equality today for a Sustainable tomorrow' drives all health programmes.
"For the last eight years, we have been witnessing a paradigm shift in the vision of development. From development of women to women-led development, the focus is on achieving new heights in every sector under the leadership of women," he said.
(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)