VP Venkaiah Naidu Urges Medical Fraternity to Dispel Fears Among Public on Vaccination

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday called for the need to dispel fears among the public on vaccination and urged the medical fraternity to take a lead in creating awareness on the importance of getting the jabs. After receiving the first copy of the book — ‘My Patients My God — Journey of a kidney doctor’, penned by noted nephrologist Dr Georgi Abraham, on the occasion of Doctors’ Day, Naidu underlined the need to address vaccine hesitancy in some sections of the population, especially in the rural areas.

“There is a need to dispel fears in some sections and the vaccination drive should turn into a truly pan-India ‘Jan Andolan'”, he said, and urged the medical fraternity to take a lead in creating awareness on the importance of people getting vaccinated. Emphasising the need to educate people on the importance of vaccination, Naidu urged all stakeholders to work collectively to achieve ‘full vaccination’ by year-end.

Those having vaccine hesitancy should be made aware of the fact that they are putting their own lives and those of family members at an ‘avoidable risk’, he said. Calling for Centre and States coordination to quicken the pace of the vaccine campaign, he appealed to film personalities, sportspersons and icons of various fields to come together and encourage people to go for vaccination.

“We need to understand that vaccination has to be a collective responsibility,” he said. He noted that vaccination was the key to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and added that the country administered more than 32 crore doses surpassing the total number of vaccinations done in the United States.

Referring to the Indian Medical Association data of nearly 1,500 medical professionals having succumbed to COVID-19, Naidu said it shows their unmatched dedication towards the profession. On the theme for ‘Doctor’ Day’ — ‘Save the Saviour’, the Vice President stressed the need to ensure safety and well-being of medical professionals who were rendering yeoman service during the unprecedented health emergency caused by the pandemic.

Naidu also paid tributes to noted educationist and freedom fighter Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy whose birth anniversary is commemorated as Doctors’ Day..

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