New Delhi: Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan today released a document chronicling the ministry's response to the COVID-19 pandemic between January and November last year, and calling it a historical moment expressed his hope that this document will go a long way in strengthening the healthcare system.

The document, titled 'Chasing the Virus: A Public Health Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic', is a factual narrative of the health systems’ response across the nation to this unprecedented health emergency, PTI quoted the minister as saying.

After releasing the document, Health Minister said that India registered its first COVID-19 case on January 30 and after 1 year and 2 months, the nation chased more than 1.2 crore COVID-19 cases. 'Out of the 1.2 crore cases, 1.13 crore people recovered'  “The matter of happiness is that out of the 1.2 crore cases, 1.13 crore people have recovered,” he said.

The first volume of the document captures various initiatives taken by the ministry in taking pandemic-related actions in a timely manner and enabling health systems to provide uninterrupted access to non-COVID-19 essential health services.

Remembering the frontline workers who fought the pandemic, the Health Minister said that this battle against the deadly virus was fought with the contribution of every stakeholder.

“It will be difficult to document the efforts put in by all the people in fighting our battle against the pandemic,” he added. 

The Health Minister also said that India gave 61 million doses of vaccine to Indians and provided 64 million doses to 84 countries.

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