PM and CMs’ meet must give it a right direction without prejudice, writes GYAN PATHAK.
——–
This week, beginning from January 11, is all set to witness a history. The world’s largest vaccine drive will be launched in the country. If everything goes well, India will soon win the battle against COVID-19.
“It would soon be a reality to vaccinate the entire population in the country… after prioritizing risk groups,” said Union Minister of Health.
The Prime Minister will begin the week by chairing a meeting with Chief Ministers of all states of the country to discuss the situation on the ground and the vaccine rollout. However, the success of the inoculation drive, in the shortest possible time with the desired level of effectiveness, will really depend on how smoothly the vaccine rollout proves to be.
By 4 PM on Monday January 11, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be interacting with Chief Ministers via video conferencing, COVID-19 situation on ground will further be improved a little as the trend suggests. But the risks, both old and new, will keep our leaders on their toes because we have already lost over 1.51 lakh lives, and total number of cases have exceeded 10.4 million.
Safety, comorbidities, age, and economic conditions of our people will be other major factors of great concerns. It will be the seventh interaction of PM with our CMs after lockdown, and the first after the approval of the two ‘Made in India’ vaccines – Covashield of Serum Institute, and Covaxin of Bharat Biotech, and therefore is considered to be the most important meeting hitherto held.
But the risks, both old and new, will keep our leaders on their toes because we have already lost over 1.51 lakh lives, and total number of cases have exceeded 10.4 million.
Government of India has already unveiled the mega plan to be launched from next week, and two rounds of dry run have been conducted as a simulation of the actual execution in almost all the districts of the country, barring only a few. The dry run exercise has revealed that the country will need more vaccine storage point, additional dry runs, and extra training processes ahead of the actual launch of the vaccination drive. Union Health ministry has disclosed that the first COVID-19 vaccine shots are likely to be delivered on January 13.
There were four primary vaccine stores called GMSD located in Karnal (Haryana), Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. There will be 37 vaccine stores across the country, from where they will be transported safely to the vaccination centres. Nineteen additional vaccine stores are also being set up to reach remote areas with poor logistical support, such as Ladakh and Northeast States. There will be at least one vaccination centre in all districts. Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network (Co-Win) has been put in place. Vaccine administration is being strengthened on the basis of the experience of the dry run.
The dry run exercise has revealed that the country will need more vaccine storage point, additional dry runs, and extra training processes ahead of the actual launch of the vaccination drive.
However, at the highest level meeting of the prime minister and the chief ministers, many things need to be settled before the launch of the drive, since the states are the major corona warriors on the ground level. The whole operation will have financial consequences on the states’ exchequer because entire plan is to be executed there. Prime Minister is therefore expected to assure the fund starved states to provide required finances in the operation.
A state’s general and medical administration has a capacity limitation for implementation. For example, Maharashtra has already said that the state would require at least three months for implementation of the first phase of the planned vaccination. It is therefore of much interest to the people of the country to see as to how our prime minister and chief ministers agree on certain plan of capacity enhancement of our medical infrastructure and mobilize health workers in large numbers.
The whole operation will have financial consequences on the states’ exchequer because entire plan is to be executed there. Prime Minister is therefore expected to assure the fund starved states to provide required finances in the operation.
The experience of the dry run suggests that people are still apprehensive about safety of the vaccines.
They are also right in their apprehensions because the vaccines were given only “emergency use approval” and people would require to furnish a declaration that they are taking the vaccines at their own risks. Many people will be shocked to learn this at the time of making their declaration. Since the vaccines approved for emergency use still require further trials, any wrong signal by our political leadership for robust implementation of the drive at this stage will jeopardize the smooth rollout on account of fear among the people on the one hand and the overzealous political and civil administration on the other.
Presently, inoculation is optional, and it remains so until all levels of trials are completed with the desired level of effectiveness.
Moreover, we still need to convey every detail to the recipient level at the grassroots, and further train healthcare workers, the process of which is to continue as our Union Health Minister has assured.
Since the vaccines approved for emergency use still require further trials, any wrong signal by our political leadership for robust implementation of the drive at this stage will jeopardize the smooth rollout on account of fear among the people on the one hand and the overzealous political and civil administration on the other.
In the first phase of inoculation, 30 crores people are to be vaccinated. Three crore of them are healthcare professionals and workers. The rest would be frontline workers and elderly people of over 50 years of age. The high level meeting of the PM and CMs must take a decision that comorbidities must be taken into consideration irrespective of age. That will generate a sense of security among people who are most at risk. It may require certain changes in the initial planning but would be worth implementing.
Our political leadership also needs to take a decision to involve non government organization, private sector, and all other stakeholders for smooth implementation. And the decision must be conveyed in persuading manner, and there should not be any air of supremacy or big-brotherhood. Only this can improve the mobilization of beneficiaries in the best possible manner, along with micro-planning and implementation.
To convey a definite political message right from centre to state, district, block, and hospital level, the meeting should also take appropriate decisions regarding the availability of vaccines at an affordable price to all, and the free of cost inoculation for people who cannot afford to have it.
Our political leadership also needs to take a decision to involve non government organization, private sector, and all other stakeholders for smooth implementation.
Planning, implementation, reporting mechanism, and identification of residual challenges etc are to be done at the administrative level but at the political level.
Our leadership must involve themselves personally to monitor the same in a most wisely and equitable basis. Chief Ministers must guarantee to place their demand for supply of required doses in time, and Prime Minister must assure supply of the same without any bias as to who is ruling the state. A clear signal should emanate from the meeting that all political parties are united in the battle to win the battle against COVID-19. (IPA Service)
(Gyan Pathak is a senior journalist. Views are personal)
