New Delhi: The government of India is gearing up for record Covid-19 vaccinations Friday, 17 September, to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Free vaccinations for all is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gift to the nation. Tomorrow on the birthday of our dear Prime Minister, let us launch #VaccineSeva. Those who have not taken the vaccine — take such people, your relatives and people from all segments of society to get vaccinated tomorrow as a birthday gift to the Prime Minister,” Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya tweeted Thursday.
‘सबको वैक्सीन, मुफ़्त वैक्सीन’ की PM @NarendraModi जी ने देश को सौग़ात दी है!
कल हम सबके प्रिय प्रधानमंत्री जी का जन्मदिन है, चलो #VaccineSeva कर जिन्होंने वैक्सीन नहीं ली है, ऐसे अपनों को, परिजनों को और समाज के सभी तबकों को टीका लगवाकर, उनको जन्मदिन का उपहार देते हैं।
— Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya) September 16, 2021
State governments, especially BJP-ruled ones, are expected to pull out all stops, while party workers across the country have been asked to pitch in for a “birthday gift” to the prime minister, sources said.
BJP sources said party president J.P. Nadda has instructed all state units to mobilise workers at the polling booth level for a major vaccination drive on the PM’s birthday. Two days ago, Nadda had met BJP state presidents, general secretaries and other functionaries to review the vaccination programme for Friday.
All state units have been asked to take stock of the number of people that each booth has vaccinated. “We are looking at this as a record-setting initiative which can be marked as a major milestone on the PM’s birthday,” a party source cited Nadda as saying. The sources added this is a key component of celebrating the PM’s birthday as ‘Seva Diwas’.
“Last year, the PM’s birthday was not celebrated at such a scale. Now that first dose vaccinations have reached 60-70 per cent, now is the time to go all out,” a source added.
India has already crossed the landmark of one crore daily vaccinations three times over the last few weeks, but officials say that attempts on the PM’s birthday are expected to scale newer heights.
Asked if the target is to achieve two crore daily vaccinations Friday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a press conference: “We have been carrying out a mission in the country since 16 January. All of you know that all of you are a part of that. Every citizen of the country has been a part of that mission. Under that mission, you have either been vaccinated or are a vaccinator and this mission will be on till the entire adult population in the country gets vaccinated.”
Officials said additional vaccine doses have been provided to states to hit the two crore mark. “It is difficult to put a figure to it, but it is safe to say that there will be a massive push for vaccination tomorrow. Apart from vaccinators and healthcare workers, we are expecting some push from political workers too,” a senior health ministry official told ThePrint.
The Press Information Bureau update on daily vaccine availability Thursday said that “more than 76.11 crore (76,11,49,825) vaccine doses have been provided to states/UTs so far through Govt of India (free of cost) and through the direct state procurement category. Further, more than 1.65 crore doses (1,65,76,510) are in the pipeline. More than 5.33 crore (5,33,75,475) balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states/UTs to be administered.”
So far, 20 per cent of all Indians, 82 per cent healthcare workers and 78 per cent frontline workers have been fully vaccinated.
September avg 74.40 lakh doses/day
India is a little distance from the sustained vaccination rate of one crore per day, but during the first fortnight of September, an average of 74.40 lakh vaccine doses has been administered every day, the Ministry of Health said Thursday.
However, there is no word yet on vaccines for children.
On whether both the Zydus Cadila vaccine, which has recently received emergency use authorisation among those above 12 years of age, and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, which is under trial in children, are in contention for vaccination of minors, Dr V.K. Paul, member (health) of the NITI Aayog made it clear that no decision has yet been taken.
“We are conscious of reports about children being affected in case of a future outbreak and we are taking all measures in terms of healthcare preparedness and other issues for that. Whenever a decision is taken for the vaccination of children depending on which vaccines are found safe and effective by the Indian regulator, we will take a call on the matter,” Paul said.
He also said that while cases are coming down across the country, including in Kerala, Mizoram remains a state of concern. In the past week, the test positivity rate has been a high 13 per cent in the state.
(Edited by Paramita Ghosh)
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