Vaccination programme extended by 4 days: L-G

‘Decision was prompted by high level of public participation in Puducherry.’

Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan arriving with a consignment of Remdesivir in Puducherry.

Lt. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said on Tuesday that the ongoing ‘Tika Utsav’ mass vaccination campaign was being extended by another four days to capitalise on the increasing patronage for the initiative.

Ms. Soundararajan said the four-day campaign had witnessed higher levels of public participation over the last few days with the number of those taking vaccination going from about 7,000 on Day 1 to over 10,000 on Day 2 and even more on Day 3.

This was announced at a media interaction by Ms. Soundararajan, who in her dual capacity as Governor of Telangana had gone to the Raj Bhavan there on a brief visit to join Ugadi festivities, and flew back with 1,000 doses of Remdesivir as a goodwill gesture to the people of Puducherry amid widespread shortage of the critical drug in coronavirus treatment.

“The dire shortage of the anti-viral drug had been flagged at a high-level review meeting the other day. I initially had no plan to leave Puducherry due to the coronavirus situation. But, there were so many requests to be with the people of Telangana during their New Year Day celebrations that I undertook a brief visit. I am thankful to those in Telangana, including the Chief Minister, who helped source an essential stock of Remdesivir which is manufactured in Hyderabad, for the benefit the people in Puducherry”, she said.

Warns of action

Replying to a question, the Lt. Governor said strict action would be taken against traders taking advantage of the shortage to sell the injectible drug at exorbitant rates. Recently, the Centre had banned export of the antiviral drug.

She also expressed gratitude to the Central government for releasing over one lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine that have now made it possible to extend the ongoing mass vaccination campaign.