India Launches Massive COVID-19 Vaccination Drive, Plans to Export Vaccines
India, having successfully produced PPE and medical supplies, is now gearing up to manufacture and export COVID-19 vaccines. The world's largest vaccination drive began here on January 16, 2021, led by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi's National COVID-19 Task Force, headed by Dr. V.K. Paul.
The task force, under the guidance of Dr. Paul, plans to share crucial data on cold chain storage and transportation facilities with the government. This will aid in streamlining the vaccination process. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has formed a task force on COVID Vaccine to supplement government plans. Chaired by Mr. T V Narendran and co-chaired by Dr. Randeep Guleria, this task force is working on providing infrastructure support, including communication, advocacy, and training, for the vaccination drive.
The government aims to vaccinate a massive 30 crore people in the first phase. This includes three crore healthcare and frontline workers, followed by 27 crore people. The latter group comprises individuals above 50 years of age and those with comorbidities. The task force has suggested utilizing private sector capacity from phase one and considering more categories of essential service providers.
India's ambitious vaccination drive, supported by industry and task forces, is set to inoculate a significant portion of its population. The government's plans, along with the support of private sectors and task forces, aim to efficiently distribute and administer vaccines, marking a crucial step in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
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