Bill Gates congratulates PM Modi as India crosses 200 crore COVID-19 vaccinations

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday (local time) congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on achieving yet another milestone of administrating 200 crore vaccinations in India.

Taking to his Twitter, the American billionaire and philanthropist, Bill Gates expressed appreciation for the government and vaccine producers' ongoing collaboration in India to lessen the effects of COVID-19. "Congratulations Narendra Modi for yet another milestone of administering 200 crore vaccinations. We are grateful for our continued partnership with Indian vaccine manufacturers and the Indian government for mitigating the impact of COVID19," he tweeted.

It is pertinent to mention that earlier in May, Gates hailed the COVID-19 vaccination drive of India during a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland's Davos. He stated that the success of India's vaccination drive offers 'many lessons for the world'. Notably, on July 17, India achieved a milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination programme by administering the mighty number of 2 billion jabs. 

India creates history again: PM Modi

PM Modi lauded India's COVID-19 vaccination programme and said that the country has created history again by crossing the "special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses". He also said that throughout the vaccine programme, the people of India have shown "remarkable faith in science".

"Congrats to all Indians on crossing the special figure of 200 crore vaccine doses. Proud of those who contributed to making India’s vaccination drive unparalleled in scale and speed. This has strengthened the global fight against COVID-19. Throughout the rollout of the vaccine, the people of India have shown remarkable faith in science. Our doctors, nurses, frontline workers, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs have played a key role in ensuring a safer planet. I appreciate their spirit and determination," PM Modi said in his series of tweets.

India's COVID-19 vaccination drive

The nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive commenced on 16 January 2021. The first round of vaccinations was given to healthcare workers. Frontline employees started receiving vaccinations on 2 February 2021. For seniors (over 60 years of age) and people with certain comorbid diseases who are 45 years of age or older, the second phase of immunisation was started on March 1, 2021.

Notably, India has not only administered 200 crore doses to its citizens but also exported over 23 crore vaccines to over 50 countries. Vaccination for all people aged over 45 years began on 1 April 2021 and all adults were allowed to be vaccinated against Coronavirus from May 1, 2021, onwards. On January 3, the vaccination drive was commended for adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years. 

The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 on March 16 and also extracted the comorbidity clause making all people aged above 60 eligible for a booster dose of the COVID vaccine. On April 10, India began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.