Hyderabad, Aug 24 (IANS): A special mop-up vaccination drive was launched in Greater Hyderabad on Monday to administer Covid-19 vaccines to all the people left over.
On the first day of the 10-day drive, 26,892 people were vaccinated in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had directed the authorities to undertake the drive in all 4,846 colonies and slum areas in Hyderabad to make it a fully vaccinated city.
Officials presented appreciation certificates to 264 colonies which have become 100 per cent vaccinated.
On the first day, 175 teams conducted special camps in 448 colonies. According to officials, 23,651 people took the first dose while 3,241 people were given the second dose in the drive undertaken by the GHMC with mobile vans.
Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Health Secretary S.A.M. Rizvi, GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar, District Collectors of Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Medchal Malkajgiri districts, and other senior officials supervised the drive.
The Chief Secretary visited a vaccination centre at the Old CIB quarters in Khairatabad to oversee the arrangements made for the special vaccination drive.
During this special drive, a team would visit each and every household and identify those who have not been vaccinated. The team will motivate the people to get vaccinated and they will be informed of the vaccination centre in their area together with date and time in advance. A sticker will be pasted on the door of every household in which all residents have been vaccinated.
Somesh Kumar said that the main objective of this special mop-up vaccination drive is to make Hyderabad a 100 percent Covid vaccinated city. An event will be held in the colony after successful completion of the vaccination drive in the presence of colony office bearers to encourage and motivate the colonies to go for 100 per cent vaccination.
He congratulated the GHMC and health officials for taking up the special vaccination and asked them to make it a success. He also appealed to the people to utilize the opportunity provided by the government and get themselves vaccinated.