Modi for speedy access to vaccine
The PM said the vaccine delivery system should be developed on the lines of conduct of polls and disaster management
Calling for full preparedness to ensure speedy access to Covid-19 vaccines for every citizen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday suggested developing a vaccine delivery system on the lines of conduct of polls and disaster management while involving all levels of government and citizen groups.
Chairing a meeting to review the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic situation and the preparedness of vaccine delivery, distribution, and administration, the prime minister also noted a steady decline in the daily cases and the growth rate. At the same time, he also cautioned against any complacency at the decline and called for keeping up the efforts to contain the pandemic.
Continuing the downward trend, the number of active cases or those with current infection dipped below 800,000 on Friday. This has happened for the first time since September 1 when the number of active cases was still on the rise, with fewer recoveries and more cases. On average, over 84,000 new cases were reported each day during the first week of September and only about 69,000 recoveries happened.
A decline in the active cases – the patients who need treatment or some care – was seen during the third week of September after hitting the grim milestone of reporting over 1 million cases a day. On Thursday, only 62,212 cases were reported and there were 70,816 recoveries, data provided by the union health ministry shows.
Modi insisted on continued social distancing and Covid-appropriate behaviour such as wearing the mask, regularly washing hands and sanitation, especially in the wake of upcoming festival season.
The meeting was attended by
Union health minister Harsh Vardhan, principal secretary to PM, member (Health) NITI Aayog, principal scientific adviser, senior scientists, officers of PMO, and officials from various other departments.
In a statement, the PMO said three vaccines are in advanced stages of development in India, out of which two are in Phase II and one is in Phase-III.
It further said Indian Scientists and research teams are collaborating and strengthening the research capacities in neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
There are further requests from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Qatar and Bhutan for clinical trials in their countries. To help the global community, the prime minister further directed that efforts should not be limited to our immediate neighbourhood but that the entire world should be reached out to in providing vaccines, medicines and IT platforms for vaccine delivery system.
National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration for COVID-19 (NEGVAC) in consultation with state governments and all relevant stakeholders have prepared and presented a detailed blueprint of vaccine storage, distribution, and administration. The Expert Group, in consultation with states, is working actively on prioritisation and distribution of the vaccine.
Modi further directed that keeping in view the geographical span and diversity of the country, the access to the vaccine should be ensured speedily.
He stressed that every step in the logistics, delivery, and administration should be put in place rigorously. “It must include advance planning of cold storage chains, distribution network, monitoring mechanism, advance assessment, and preparation of ancillary equipment required, such as vials, syringes etc,” the statement said.
“The prime minister further directed that we should make use of experience of successful conduct of elections and disaster management in the country. The Prime Minister said that in a similar manner vaccine delivery and administration systems should be put in place.
“This should involve the par
ticipation of states/UTs/districtlevel functionaries, civil society organisations, volunteers, citizens, and experts from all necessary domains. The entire process should have a strong IT backbone and the system should be designed in such a manner so as to have a lasting value to our healthcare system,” the PMO statement said.
It further said two pan-India studies on the Genome of SARSCoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) in India conducted by ICMR and Department of BioTechnology (DBT) suggest that the virus is genetically stable and there is no major mutation in the virus.
India’s Covid-19 caseload has gone past 74 lakh, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has crossed 65 lakh pushing the recovery rate to 87.78%, according to data by the Union health ministry on Saturday. India’s Covid tally stood at 74,42,823 cases with 1,13,165 deaths so far, as on 7pm on Saturday, according to covid19india.org.