The Center will bear the cost of vaccinating health care and frontline workers of Rs 3 million in the first phase of the vaccination campaign against the novel coronavirus disease, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told senior ministers on Monday. .
The Prime Minister highlighted three critical aspects of vaccine administration: ensuring data is uploaded in real time for effective beneficiary tracking; curb rumors and misinformation about the vaccine; and ensure effective reporting of adverse events, if any, after vaccination.
“… The most important thing will be to identify and monitor the beneficiaries to be vaccinated. For this we will use modern technology; Using Aadhaar, we will be able to identify the beneficiaries. It is my request that the real-time data generated during the vaccination be uploaded to the Co-Win platform. States have to guarantee this. Even a small flaw can damage this mission, ”he said.
“… Another fundamental thing is that all states and territories of the Union must ensure that there are no rumors or misinformation related to vaccines. The exercise cannot be based on yes and buts. A certain section wants to create some barriers; there is business competition. We have to make sure that the right information is disseminated to the citizens. We have to involve religious organizations, the social sector, self-help groups, ”said the prime minister. The increased awareness will be needed after the completion of the first two rounds, when the priority group of 3 million rupees has been vaccinated, he added.
Faced with demands from various states, including Bihar, governed by the BJP, that elected representatives be included in the first priority group, Modi said: “… This is my personal suggestion. First are the crown warriors, second are the front-line workers. The representatives of the people are not included in this category ”.
To ensure effective follow-up, digital certificates must be delivered to the beneficiaries, he told the Chief Ministers at the meeting that was held via video link.
“From this certificate, we will know who received the dose; and will act as a reminder of when the second dose should be administered. After the second dose, a final digital certificate will be generated, ”Modi said.
“… If someone experiences an adverse reaction after vaccination, we have created mechanisms to address it. We already have a mechanism in the universal immunization program; for the Covid-19 vaccination, we have strengthened it even more ”.
The prime minister said that the Center will bear the cost of vaccinating the first priority group of three million rupees and that the vaccines from India would be “profitable.”
“The big breakthrough I want to emphasize is that our vaccines (Covishield from the Serum Institute of India and Covaxin from Bharat Biotech) are profitable. We can imagine that our country would have found itself in a difficult situation if we had been completely dependent on the development of vaccines abroad. Our vaccines have been developed with our national requirements in mind, ”he said.
“India’s experience in vaccination will be of great help during Covid-19 vaccination. After detailed discussions with the states, we have finalized the priority groups. Our effort is first to vaccinate the groups that are directly involved in protecting the health of our citizens; our health workers, safai karmacharis, the Army, disaster management volunteers… will be vaccinated in the first phase. The Center will cover the costs of vaccination for the priority population of 3 crore, ”Modi said.
By the time the country begins vaccinating the highest priority group of 27 million people over 50 and those with comorbidities, more vaccines will be available on the market, he said.
“Our country is now entering a decisive phase in the fight against the pandemic… We are going to start the largest vaccination campaign in the world as of January 16. We are proud that the two vaccines that have been granted emergency use authorization are manufactured in India. There are four more vaccines in progress. When we begin to give priority to vaccinating those over 50, we will have more options; there is a possibility that more vaccines will arrive in India… ”Modi said.
On criticism about the accelerated approvals granted to Covishield and Covaxin, the prime minister assured that the final decision had been made by scientists. “… Whatever final decision was made, it was based on the decision made by the scientific community. They have the last word. Some people had complained about the delay in approvals in India. However, we waited until the scientific community made a decision, ”he said.
The world would be watching India’s immunization campaign, Modi said. “… Several countries will follow the way we will carry out this exercise; we have an additional responsibility… The vaccine is being administered in 50 countries. However, only 2.5 million people have been vaccinated. They have their own preparations and experience. But in India, we have to achieve the goal of vaccinating 30 million people in the next few months. With this in mind, India has carried out detailed fund preparations, ”he said.
States should draw on their experience of successfully running the universal immunization program and elections, Modi said.
“In the second phase, those over 50 and under 50 with associated comorbidities will be vaccinated. Dry testing … reflects our capabilities. The new POEs [emerging from the dry runs] they must merge with the old POEs. Our universal immunization program is being implemented successfully; we also have the experience of holding the most important elections in the world. In this vaccination campaign, the booth strategy implemented during the elections has been used, ”he said.
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