Chennai
22nd
May 2021
Respected
Prime Minister,
We were not happy to read the letter addressed to you
by retired IAS and other senior officers of the government of India at this
crisis hour[VB1] .
As concerned citizens we would have appreciated if the letter had been drafted
and issued differently. Here’s our take:
As
the second wave of Covid 19 ravaged through state after state and the toll is
mounting, we submit this appeal to you along with suggestions on the way
forward starting with crisis management and Allocation of resources to related
matters.
First
and foremost is the integrity of data and the availability of accurate granular
data for scientists, statisticians and administrators. Detail numbers as they
come up throw up interesting Scenarios for able administrators who are
competent. Talents across fields are available in plenty in our scientific pool
including the administrative Cadre.
Transparent
data stream will pave the way for a more proper and clear response.
The
current lack of data across segments and the tendency to not recognise the
importance for accurate and correct field data has been one of the main reasons
in our opinion, for getting surprised repeatedly. We stress here that each one
of us believe that you have our best interest at heart.
Our
country is at a stage where it can ill afford to be surprised again and again
and it is our appeal to you to take the lead and issue specific instructions to
all agencies including state government to comply with data transparency.
The
next most important action in our opinion, is to understand the vaccination
scenario as it is unfolding factoring the supplies expected and present an
action plan for orderly rollout. The current chaos and lack of accurate details
from a reliable supply chain system is severely hampering the planning and
implementation of even those groups who are efficient. Our country can
legitimately boast of a huge vaccination network especially in rural areas with
adequate vaccination centres and we have had past successes in effectively
eliminating through vaccination viral diseases. This was possible by an active
participation of the government steered from the centre, social organisations,
corporate and local community chiefs. With this experience our suggestions for
vaccination roll out are:
i.
It
looks like we will have about 11 billion doses globally before December and
India can access for sure what it can produce locally with the existing vaccine
manufacturers. That is around 40million per month under a conservative
estimate. Having vaccinated over 190 million as on date, the task is to find
the balance 800 million doses at the earliest.
ii.
With
just 360 million doses confirmed by this year end in the pipe line, there is
going to be scarcity for some time. Our
suggestion is to scale up availability to the maximum to hit the estimated
higher level announced. But that is not confirmed yet. Hence judicious
allocation of the current scarce resource is the urgent need.
iii.
Given
the vaccine hesitancy and accounting for wastage converting the bulk of this
into jabs in the legible arms of the people is the utmost priority. Priority
shall be above 45 years old and then below 45 but parents, work force. Efforts
must be made to individually trace and vaccinate these persons breaking through
hesitancy and logistical challenges. That is the best way to prepare for the
third wave around the corner.
iv.
If
this is done successfully before December, we would be much closer to achieving
heard immunity accounting for substantial infected cases as well. We therefore
recommend that this Administration of doses should be done through microlevel
planning and rollout. Each of the collectors should get specific instruction
and ensure roll out. They should also pick out in the eligible category uninfected
and vaccinate as was done in the polio administration
v.
Web
interface at the administration level, user level from individual citizens,
have been a challenge given the prevailing lack of computer literacy. We
recommend therefore to appoint short-term contract employees sourced with the
support of big IT companies and train them for both the admin and as well as
support the citizens. They should be posted on a war footing. PSU employees and
Railway employees who are already exposed to computer should be instructed
suitably.
vi.
PMO
shall have a dashboard with real-time updates on the vaccination roll out for
each of the 719 districts. We can deploy the same mechanism which we do for
monitoring of the counting of votes at booth level for a nation as a whole.
vii.
Respected
Prime Minister you have a huge following in our nation and you should
constantly come out and advocate for vaccination of all eligible citizens. You
should also assure those who have to await for the vaccine suitably. Political
costs can be managed by you as you have done previously. You should rope in all
the MPs irrespective of political affiliations and emphasise the responsibility
of the elected representatives to
support this action.
There are other pressing matters which we would like
to bring to your attention. We would so in time. But this is the priority now
and the only priority for you as our leader. Others can manage the rest for the
time being.
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