As the third phase of the vaccination drive embarked on May 1, massive drawbacks prevail that require rethinking. It would be the recrimination of a political hue that the citizens would have to suffer. The central government’s decision to proclaim only half percent of the vaccine production could be a stumbling block that needs rechecking.
If the current scenario of the vaccination drive precedents our system, then the states ruling under different organizations like AAP and the Congress will not have adequate supply to deal with the ever-increasing demand for vaccines. India is driving the world’s largest vaccination drive without even having the actual menace to conduct the process across different states. The Covid vaccination plan was enforced with a motive of wellness and prioritizing health issues over other matters, but the notion has faded away with the sub-standards set by the government.
Vaccination Drive’s Progress Could Get Hindered
How can we justify the strategy of differential pricing when the state governments are being pilloried down by the suppression of the private vaccine-making companies. It’s heart-wrenching to observe such an immense healthcare failure when it had been given the synopsis of warnings. The irrational belief that the vaccination program would be the final nail in the coffin to break the chain of the coronavirus outbreak has all sailed down the deep shore.
The seamless pattern of allowing the states to dictate terms of the vaccine is beyond explanation. The Centre has to helm equitable distribution of the vaccine as they aim to expand the vaccination drive to all those aged above 18 beginning May 1. Does the strategy to directly procure vaccines from the manufacturing houses make it easier for the states or does it perplex the structural working even more? India has wavered away from the fact that the vaccine pricing should be of one rate for all the states, hospitals, and citizens.
The clamor of providing the states with the sovereignty of flexibility in the rollout of the vaccine drive aims at integrating 28 separate ideas. For instance, if a state’s priority is to vaccinate a particular section of the society despite the alarming waves going beyond the geographical destruction, then so be it. The baseless framework compiles the citizens to disseminate according to the state’s adherence and is not a prolific sign for the nation.
Eventually, it will come down to the upright notion of the first refusal at the government’s end. It will somewhat also mean whosoever comes first will be first served. This policy would reflect the fact that the government will not witness the seriousness of the candidates anymore.
If a scenario of unequivocal distribution continues, then we would soon see a crippling shortage of vaccine doses in some states in India, just like the states are battling it out to procure more oxygen cylinders today. Whether the state will be left to hang out to dry or the government will integrate a system to allocate vaccines across 28 states and eight Union Territories. The repeat of the oxygen crisis cannot be repelled by India, and that’s how dire the situation is.
Any discretion for any profitable revenue might seem the crisis gets the better of the nation and could steep down the levels of recording the highest vulnerabilities in a single day. The vaccine deployment needs to be sure-short, and the ignorance towards the blocking of vaccine trucks from leaving their territories needs to be avoided.
Serum Institute of India’s CEO Adar Poonawalla came out and declared that the price of the vaccine deployed to the states will be reduced from Rs 400 to Rs 300. He asserted that the Covidshield‘s price is getting reduced concerning the provocation of anger and frustration across the state and private hospitals since the announcement was made days ago. Astonishingly, the next phase of the vaccination drive is edging closer, and the states haven’t been provided with the vaccine yet. How can you suddenly change the prices by a slim margin, which is not at the levels of the central government?
The absurdity increases and there is an inkling of the involvement of government authorities in the private manufacturing company’s decision. It will still cost the state governments a hell of a lot more than the central government. By saying it will secure countless lives, the Serum Institute of India is consorting its Stance of keeping its dignified image upright. The concerning fact in issuing such a statement is that the government is looking to assert the prioritizing and dictating position in the vaccination supply to allot the BJP ruled states with more vaccines.
Such a condition has to be revoked as the vaccine stocks are limited, and it has to be rationed. Another discerning effort in saving their image was integrated today by the Home Ministry of India when they authenticated a Y Category security for Adar Poonawalla who has come under constant criticism from the citizens for selective based pricing for the central and the state government.
Complying on A Blend of Judicious Supply and Utilization is Inevitable.
India’s position has weakened over time and with the hospitals running out of time to save lives, an efficient vaccination program is inevitable as the reports claim that it reduces the risk of contracting severe symptoms of the Coronavirus. States and exports are pledging to the government for a free-market-oriented policy for vaccines barring all the inhumane agendas out of the sensitive issue.
Why can’t a single authoritative body be set up for regulating the vaccination drive? It’s a simplistic approach but whether the government eventuates out from the political Hubris of raising their incomes is appalling and considerably a fact that should get known to the public. We need to rely on a judicious blend of equitable supply and effective utilization by the authorities. It would be a prudent strategy regardless of what the government beliefs will be good for India.
Irrespective of the price jeopardized by the private manufacturing units, the vaccine to end the users should be subsidized by the government to ease down the toll of acquiring vaccines at higher prices. How the vaccination drive pans out is coherent to how the treacherous catastrophe bends down to normal levels, and soon we could be out of the pandemic.
If the government wants to expand the flexibility under any circumstances, it can resort to thinking about it once the majority of the vaccination helm gets inoculated. And the country is in a better understanding of how to deal with the crisis. But till then, a single-minded capitulation is needed to run proficient and equal supplies of vaccines wavering the outlook beyond the political and geographical constraints.
