If we can vaccinate 91 million children with Pulse Polio dose in one day, what stops India from giving COVID-19 vaccine within a month?
As per World Health Organization (South-East Asia) Bulletin dated 4th Feb 2021.
Over 110 million (mn) children under five years of age were vaccinated against Polio over three days in India following the Polio National Immunisation Day (NID) on 31st January 2021. 91 mn children were vaccinated at booths on the first day itself 31st January 2021.
President of India Hon’ble Shri Ram Nath Kovind had launched the NID Pulse Polio campaign for 2021 by administering polio drops to a child less than five years old at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 30.01.2021.
What does this tell about India’s capability of vaccinating its population at a rate of 91 mn per day? The country has the resources and infrastructure to vaccinate the whole country in about seven days. Even if we grant special considerations of reaction and waiting after the vaccination for 30 minutes, we can stretch the timetable four times; maybe a month for the first dose and another 45 to 60 days for the second dose. India can be fully vaccinated in 90 days.
Technology didn’t fail us, Our Scientists didn’t fail us, but logistics planning and program implementation has failed India. The Government is caught napping, in not giving enough licenses for the private sector to produce more vaccines.
The Pandemic in India is being combated by Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), a research organization. Why is it not being led by an Epidemiologist? Why is the vaccination not being handled by the same infrastructure that handles Polio Vaccination? Why are we re-inventing the wheel?
The current Government is failing in disaster management and project management to implement well intentioned policies. As per statistics good planning only contributes 30% to the success of a project, good implementation is responsible for 70% of success. The BJP is backed by RSS cadres as a strong volunteer force, but today the Gurudwara based Sikh organizations have done better. NGOs have done better.
The Government machinery including the Health Ministry and the IAS Cadres have failed India. Handing over to the Army would have been an option worth considering. Even today, as we brave for a third wave sense can prevail. Will our Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat advice? Will the Hon’ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind consider?
Author: Lt. Col. Atul Chaudhary (V) I.A. is a logistics expert and an international Project Management adviser. The views expressed are personal of the author.
 |
Lt. Col. Atul Chaudhary (V) I.A. |
