Sanjeevani - A Shot Of Life: Network18, Federal Bank launch drive to raise awareness about COVID-19 vaccination

This World Health Day (on 7 April), Network18 will be launching its latest campaign ‘Sanjeevani – A Shot Of Life’ to increase awareness about the COVID-19 vaccination and the importance of getting it. The initiative is a Federal Bank CSR drive that intends to reach each and every Indian with relevant and important information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged-off the first phase of the pan-India rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination drive on 16 January this year. Three crore frontline and health workers were vaccinated in this phase. India has two coronavirus vaccines — Covishield and COVAXIN. Both have received authorisation for emergency use from the national drugs regulator. A sanitation worker became the first Indian to get the vaccine shot. From 1 March, those above the age of 60 years and those who are between 45 and 59 but have other illnesses were made eligible to the vaccine and the jab has also been made available to anyone above the age of 45 since 1 April. According to the Union Ministry of Health, 2,60,653 doses of coronavirus vaccines were administered in India on 28 March amid a spike in infections across the country. On 7 April, Network18 in collaboration with Federal Bank will launch the Sanjeevani campaign from Amritsar with Bollywood actor Sonu Sood as its ambassador. The actor will take the vaccine on the ground to commemorate the launch. Around 66 percent of India’s population lives in remote, inaccessible villages making it all the more difficult to get the citizens vaccinated. Network18 aims to take the onus and ensure that every Indian gets the Covid-19 jab and our country returns to the “normal” soon. As part of the campaign, five districts in India that are the most affected — Amritsar, Indore, Nashik, Guntur, Dakshina Kannada — will be adopted and vaccination drives will be conducted across several villages in these districts. The launch of the event will also see the flagging off of ‘Sanjeevani Ki Gaadi’, a van that will travel through the affected areas, dispel mistruths and disseminate information among villagers. Join us in making the nine-month-long ‘Sanjeevani’ initiative a success.