As SARS-CoV-2 surges up wildly in unprecedented highs, former Prime minister Manmohan Singh ( (Congress) posted a 5-point letter with suggestions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to better manage the stalking pandemic which is taking a toll on lives and rising positive cases in its second wave of fury.

In the letter to Prime Minister Modi, Dr. Manmohan Singhs stated these following points:

1. The Centre should publicize how many vaccine dose orders are placed and accepted for delivery over the next six months. The government should also explain how vaccine supplies are to be distributed across all states.

2. While the center publicizes its distribution plans with practical implementations, the center can retain 10% for emergencies, but all the states should be distinctly explained about the likely availability of vaccine doses.

3. States should be given some flexibility to define categories of frontline workers who can be vaccinated even if they are below 45 years. Some states may want to vaccinate frontline workers and others who assist in daily life earlier such as three-wheeler and bus and taxi drivers, municipal and panchayat staff, school teachers, bus, municipal and panchayat staff, and possibly lawyers who have to attend courts as frontline workers, thus they can then be vaccinated even if they are below 45 years.

4. Over the past few decades, India has emerged as the largest vaccine producer in the world. thanks to policies adopted by the government and robust intellectual property protection. The capacity is largely in the private sector. At this moment of a public health emergency, the Government of India must proactively support vaccine producers to expand their manufacturing facilities quickly by providing funds and other concessions.   Compulsory licensing rules should be invoked to enable more companies to make vaccines under a license.

5. Vaccines that have been approved by credible foreign authorities should be freely allowed to be used in India without insisting on bridging trials or hiding their progress in any other ways.

He said, “Noting that India has emerged as the largest vaccine producer in the world, at this time of a public health emergency, the government must proactively support vaccine producers to expand their manufacturing facilities quickly by providing funds and other concessions.”

He also said, “I believe this is the time to invoke the compulsory licensing provisions in the law so that a number of companies are able to produce the vaccines under a license. This, I recall, had happened earlier in the case of medicines to deal with the HIV/AIDS disease.”

He gave Israel as an example that has already invoked the compulsory licensing provision.

With domestic supplies being limited, Dr. Singh said any vaccine that has been cleared for use by credible authorities such as the European Medical Agency or the USFDA, should be allowed to be imported without insisting on domestic bridging trials. “We are facing an unprecedented emergency and, I understand, experts are of the view that this relaxation is justified in an emergency.

The relaxation could be for a limited period during which the bridging trials could be completed in India,” he said.
A warning to all consumers of such vaccines be given that these vaccines are being allowed for use based on the approval granted by the relevant authority abroad, he said.

Dr. Singh said he is forwarding his suggestions for consideration in a spirit of constructive cooperation in which he has always believed and acted upon.

“I hope the government will accept these suggestions immediately and act on them promptly,” he said.

Dr. Singh recalled how over the year, the world and India have been grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic with many parents not seeing their children in over a year.

He said, “Many have lost their source of livelihood, and several million have been pushed back into poverty, noting that with the second surge being currently witnessed, “people are beginning to wonder when their lives will get back to normal”.

India has seen a massive surge of COVID-19 cases with over two lakh cases being reported every day in the past four days.

Senior Congress leader, former finance minister Mr. P. Chidambaram has expressed the hope that the government will adhere to the suggestions.
“Whether the government is open to good suggestions will be known from the action taken on the letter. Also, whether the government is serious about containing the spread of the pandemic will also be known from its response,” he said.

Dr. Manmohan Singh’s letter comes on a day, India has seen the highest spike in COVID-19 cases with 275,306 178,793 active cases and +1,625 deaths recorded yesterday. Presently, there is a shortage the antiviral drug remdesivir, a demand for oxygen, and a lack of beds for patients.

Also Read: Gujarat’s Godhra Mosque turns into a COVID-19 care center providing free treatment

PM Manmohan Singh writes PM Manmohan Singh writes PM Manmohan Singh writes