Army veterans get the jab

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 29

A special Covid-19 vaccination drive was undertaken at the Military Hospital in Jalandhar Cantonment on May 25 and 28 for veterans and their dependants of Jalandhar and nearby areas.

The drive was held with the aim to raise awareness and motivate veterans of the armed forces to get vaccinated as increasing fatalities were occurring among veterans and their dependents, who have not taken the vaccination.

Over a period of two days, a number of veterans and their dependents were vaccinated. Army buses ferried veterans from districts of Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Jalandhar and Phagwara, where the ECHS polyclinics were made collection points to minimise discomfort. A Vajra Veterans Sahayata Kendra was also established at the venue to update veterans on various initiatives of the Central and state governments as well as the armed forces towards their welfare and resolution of any grievances. A special medical kit was also distributed, which included a sanitiser, masks, multi-vitamins, oximeters and information leaflets about Covid protocols.

It was heartening to see the overwhelming response of veterans towards this initiative. Naib Subedar Pritam Singh, a 91-year-old veteran, who joined the Indian Army in 1949, came all the way from Bhogpur block for the first dose. Surjit Kaur, wife of Naib Subedar Gurmail Singh, who requires a wheelchair to move around, came from Aslamabad village near Hoshiarpur.

Vajra Corps has already been fighting against the pandemic by upgrading existing capabilities in military hospitals and ECHS polyclinics, while also enhancing awareness on Covid protocols to contain its spread. The officials said more such outreach and awareness campaigns would be conducted by Vajra Corps Covid warriors in the near future for the benefit and safety of our esteemed veterans.