Health personnel of Annal Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, house surgeons and nursing students were vaccinated against A(H1N1) influenza under the first of the two phases on Monday.
About 400 persons were immunised with Panenza, the vaccine imported from France.
The hospital has received 600 doses of the vaccine, official sources said. The vaccine supplied by the Union Ministry of Health ensures immunity for one year.
The Deputy Director of Health Service and Family Welfare Veerapandian initiated the immunisation in the presence of the Dean A. Karthikeyan, Vice-Principal of KAP Viswanatham Government Medical College M.A. Aleem, and the Medical Superintendent In-Charge S. Paneerselvam.
Tamil Nadu ranks first in the list of target regions for the immunisation drive in the country because of suspected sporadic incidents of infection reported even after swine flu had started receding.
Health department sources said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has routed 20,000 doses through the Union Ministry of Health to Tamil Nadu for carrying out the first phase of immunisation.
Of the 2,325 doses meant for Tiruchi district, 1,000 doses have been distributed among the primary health centres and the remaining are being administered on health personnel in the government hospitals and students of medical and nursing colleges.
