PATNA: Chief minister (CM)
Nitish Kumar on Saturday said
Bihar stood first in the country by administering the highest number of Covid vaccine doses (over 33.09 lakh) during a mega drive on September 17 to mark the PM Narendra Modi’s 71st birthday.
“I congratulate the people of Bihar for the record vaccination during the mega campaign. Bihar has written a new golden chapter by administering 33,09,685 doses of Covid vaccines during the special drive on September 17.
As per the data available so far, Bihar is at the first position in the country,” Nitish said in a statement issued by his office.
Nitish added the Bihar government had fixed a target of administering 30 lakh doses of vaccines on Thursday, but it exceeded the target by administering 33,09,685 doses. “It is a big achievement,” he said.
Bihar also surpassed the most populous state Uttar Pradesh and the PM’s home state Gujarat in administering the doses of Covid vaccines on Thursday.
“While Bihar, with more than 33.09 lakh doses, stood at the first position, Karnataka bagged the second position by administering 30.82 lakh vaccine doses on September 17. Uttar Pradesh managed to secure third position with 28.73 lakh doses and
Madhya Pradesh the fourth position with 28.22 lakh doses. Gujarat stood at the fifth position by administering 24.56 lakh vaccine doses on Thursday,” a Bihar government official told TOI on Saturday.
With this, Bihar has so far administered 4.94 crore vaccine doses till September 17 – 4.03 crore first and 90.99
lakh second doses, a health department official said.
The CM also congratulated health officials and employees for surpassing the target of vaccination during the mega campaign. “I hope the health department will continue to work with similar dedication in the future,” Nitish said.