A testimony to emerging Aatma Nirbhar Bharat

By administering a record number of 100 crore doses, India has created a history. This remarkable achievement is a major milestone in the country's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the surpassing of the historic landmark of one billion vaccine doses mark, India has emerged as the second country in the world to achieve this colossal feat.

In the process, it has emerged as a role model for many other countries as well. India proved to the world that it can successfully take up the world's largest and one of the fastest vaccination drives.

The record highlights that India is the only country besides China to have achieved one billion doses mark in the world. The world, especially the developing countries, are now looking towards India and are seeking its support in replicating the success in their countries.

The country's resolve, preparedness, technical capability, and innovative approach have played vital role in achieving this feat. The stupendous success of our CoWIN platform, in which more than 50 countries from across the globe have shown interest, proves this in ample.

Shattering all negativity and disproving all cynicism about its capability in vaccinating all the eligible people, the country has achieved the 100 crore doses mark in less than 280 days. The vaccination drive in the country began on January 16th this year.

As Indians, we are all proud that our country is marching in a rapid pace towards vaccinating more than 90 crore eligible people, who are above 18 years of age in the country, in near future.

It is a record that at least 70 crore people in the country have taken their first dose of the vaccine; while around 30 crore people have got their second dose too.

With the massive progress in administering the first dose, the focus is now on administering the second dose. The administering of the second dose of vaccine is expected to pick up the momentum as the first dose beneficiaries were having the set dates and duration to get their second dose.

Not an easy path

Reaching this 100-crore dose mark was not an easy task in itself for a country like ours. The government and its agencies had to overcome many obstacles, including the deadly second wave, in the process.

The undaunted spirit of the government and its agencies is evident in going ahead with its target of vaccinating a huge number of people.

It is estimated that a little over 93 crore people are in eligible age in our population to get vaccinated. There was some initial cynicism. Critics raised many baseless objections about the emergency use authorization given by the DCGI to our indigenous vaccines. While scores of developed and emerging countries were struggling to have their own vaccines, we have started producing the vaccines in massive quantities that proved to be safe and effective.

It can be stated that had it not been for coming out with the early vaccine strategy and the constitution of the Vaccine Task Force and advanced preparations by the government, the situation on vaccination front would have been disastrous.

In the process, the country had to address many challenges like creating a massive network of the cold-chain storage, dispelling vaccine-hesitancy, infrastructural and logistics issues.

Constant monitoring and mentoring by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, who visited the vaccine production facilities and had motivated and supported the scientists and the vaccine makers to rise up to the occasion, proved vital in boosting their morale.

As a visionary approach, the Prime Minister had ensured the huge allocation of Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination drive in the Union Budget. As a result, the country has now developed the capability of producing a minimum of 20 crore doses a month.

As a great tribute to his visionary leadership, more than 2.18 crore people have been administered vaccine doses on September 17 this year, the birthday of the Prime Minister.

Similarly, on six different occasions during the entire vaccination drive, the country has crossed one crore doses mark in a single day.

It shows our capability that in September month, the country has registered the administering of a record number of more than 23 crore doses.

The 23 crore doses in a single month is a gigantic achievement and is unimaginable, when compared to less than 50,000 doses a day administered in January 2021.

Augmenting the production capacities, creating cold-chain storage, supply chain network, allocation, transportation, distribution, and training to the staff were effectively taken care of enabling the country to register this landmark feat.

The cooperation between the Centre and the States too proved effective in reaching the goal of 100 crore doses mark. The State and UTs together now have an additional 10 crore doses, supplied by the Centre, at their disposal.

The positive thing about the vaccination drive is that there is no glaringly major urban-rural divide. The statistics reveal that even more than 200 districts identified as backward districts and are known as the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) districts in the country have registered 80 per cent of the first dose coverage.

The vaccine first dose coverage in BRGF districts is higher than the national average, while their second dose coverage is almost equal to that of the national average.

It is heartening to note that the World Health Organization (WHO) too has acknowledged the 'mammoth efforts' of the Indian government in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic through vaccination.

The WHO's applaud is a testimony to the country's collective efforts and tremendous success it has been registering from time to time in fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccine for the children: A ray of hope

With the subject expert committee, an expert panel, of the Central Drug Standards Council Organisation (CDSCO) recommending the emergency use authorisation approval for the Bharat Biotech's Covaxin vaccine for the children from two years to 18 years of age, there is a ray of hope for protecting the children by vaccinating them.

The paediatric vaccine to fight COVID-19 among the children is expected to be rolled out in phases once the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) gives its final approval, based on the clinical trials data.

The children's vaccination once becomes a reality, will turn out to be another milestone in protecting the country's children.

On this stupendous occasion of crossing the 100 Crore vaccine doses mark, I salute the spirit, service, and sacrifices of the doctors, healthcare workers, frontline warriors, and the scientists in making India safe and effectively fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. India is fortunate to have a visionary leadership at the helm to protect it pandemic and transform it as the self-reliant in all possible sectors.

(The author is Governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry)