Veterans can’t be turned away, military stations told

Ajay Banerjee

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 22

Even as the county battles with surge of Covid-19 infections, the armed forces are almost fully vaccinated. The first dose has been administered to almost all in the three forces — the Army, IAF and the Navy — the numbers of administering second shots vary as the vaccination drive is staggered.

There are almost 16 lakh personnel in the forces who are stationed at various locations, some of them at unreachable locations like the forward posts at Siachen glacier or a warship sailing at sea.

In the Army, the first shot of the vaccine has been administered to 99 per cent and second shot to 82 per cent, sources said. The Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy have achieved 100 per cent coverage for the first shot while the second shot coverage is 90 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Indian Army, which had been questioned by veterans over Covid-related facilities, has sent out a message to all retired personnel to keep in touch with ex-servicemen (ESM) cells in their areas.

There is set of emergency numbers circulated and all military stations across the country have been told not to turn away any veteran.

All ESM units have been told to ensure that information about Covid-care facilities in each district is known to the veterans and they do not lose time looking for information of the closest such facility.

All guidelines and advisories are being made in local language for further transmission to veterans.

The message from the Army headquarters is that whatever be the situation, the Indian Army will continue to look after its veterans and all veterans should be reassured that they can approach the Army for any kind of assistance.