Modi’s photo on vaccination certificate inspires Covid-appropriate behaviour, says Union Health Ministry

Shubhadeep Choudhury                                                                                                   

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 12

Justifying printing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on vaccination certificates for Covid, the Union Health Ministry has said that Modi’s photograph and message were the most effective way to remind people about the necessity of following “Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination”.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph along with his message in vaccination certificates reinforces the importance of creating awareness about following Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination,” MoS, Health and Family Welfare, Bharati Pravin Pawar, stated in response to a question asked by Congress Rajya Sabha member Kumar Ketkar.

Ketkar wanted to know whether it was necessary and compulsory to print photographs of the Prime Minister on the certificate of Covid vaccination.

The formats of Covid vaccination certificates, being issued to beneficiaries from the Co-WIN portal, are standardised and conform to the evolving WHO guidance on verifiable vaccination certificates. Given the context of the pandemic, its evolving nature, following of “Covid-appropriate behaviour” has emerged as one of the most critical measures for preventing the spread of the disease, Pawar said in a written answer.

It is the moral and ethical responsibility of the government to ensure that such critical messages are disseminated to people in the most effective manner. The format of vaccination certificate, including the message and presentation about the importance of following Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination, is compliant with the WHO norms for vaccination certificates, Pawar said.

All states/UTs are using Co-WIN application for Covid vaccination and the certificates are generated through Co-WIN in a standard format, Pawar added.

Ketkar had also asked whether any central government before the present one made it compulsory to print the photograph of the Prime Minister on the certificate of any vaccine administered for deadly diseases such as polio, smallpox, etc. Pawar did not answer this question.