Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare felicitated Best Women COVID-19 Vaccinators from across the country on the occasion of International Women’s Day at National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, today. The event was organized to celebrate and recognize the untiring efforts in successful implementation of India’s Covid-19 Vaccination Programme. The women vaccinators have been the harbingers of change in this whole journey. The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”.

The Union Health Minister applauded the efforts of our women soldiers in the holistic development of the Health Sector. He said, “The Development of the Health Sector is incomplete without the contribution of women. Our ASHA and ANM workers are the pillars of health sector development. Our ASHA workers are working relentlessly to serve the Nation. They are reaching the last mile, traversing difficult terrains, going to every house to ensure that every eligible person is vaccinated. Under Har Ghar Dastak Campaign, our ASHA workers reached out to every household, promoted the uptake of vaccines and thereby, overcame vaccine hesitancy. If today India is a global leader in the Covid-19 Vaccination program, the credit goes to our women vaccinators across the country.”

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated and saluted the dedication of all women vaccinators across the country. He noted, “It was 16th January 2021 when the world's largest vaccination program was inaugurated by our Hon'ble Prime Minister 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 added.

He said that India has the tradition and culture of respecting women since time immemorial. "We have always worked together to ensure collective development towards this goal. When our Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji says 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', women form the main pillar of this development ideology.

Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, the Union Minister of State congratulated all the women vaccinators from across the country. She said, “It became Jan Andolan because of the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister and the relentless efforts of all women vaccinators across the country.” She added that these women vaccinators have been the pioneers of India's vaccination program. Against all odds, these Women vaccinators have been working relentlessly to ensure that each eligible Indian is vaccinated.

The Union Health Secretary noted, “It is the pious vision of this year’s International Women's day - 'Gender equality today for a Sustainable tomorrow', which drives all our health programs today. 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.”

72 women vaccinators from 36 States and UTs were awarded today.

The link of all the awardees is as:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GSBTq0vQjkTmxwiPgAcbKUxgjU51aN45/view?usp=sharing

Dr Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO Representative for India, Shri Vikas Sheel, Additional Secretary & MD (NHM), Dr Balram Bharagava, DG, ICMR, Dr Sunil Kumar, Director, DGHS, other Senior Officials from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare along with MD, NHM, Directors, RCH from different states were present in the meeting.

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MV/AL

HFW/HFM International Women’s Day/8^th March 2022/4