While millions of Indians have registered for vaccines and several state governments have promised free vaccines with the first jabs being free, now it is discovered that there are no vaccines for the second jab and the last order was placed in March 2021 with no fresh orders placed by the Center!  Questions are asked why the Government of India with India being the world’s largest vaccine producer with world’s largest vaccine drive is not able to vaccinate its own citizens?  Medical experts say “Without vaccines pandemic cannot end”.

Adar Poonawalla said while politicians and critics have blamed the SII for the vaccine shortage, the vaccine policy was framed by the Government of India.

India is likely to face a vaccine shortage for the next few months, Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla said. The capacity will increase to 100 million doses only by July 2021 from the current 60-70 million a month.

There is a feeling of being cheated by the Government with the Prime Minister “trying to fool citizens of India” during such a crisis where even BJP ruled states are reporting shortages and are blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this and stating it is not the failure of anyone else, but one man, who was too busy in elections rather than fighting the pandemic.

People are asking why with a population of 1 billion Indians did the Modi Government not get 1 billion doses made?  While vaccines were exported, it appeared the production was not increased to suffice India. Looking at this, it appeared the Government of India never intended to vaccinate all Indians.

On assessing the situation, India has approximately  80 crores adult population, and to adequately vaccinate them all, the need to administer 160 crore vaccines. At the current pace of 25 lakh vaccines per day, it’ll take more than 600 days or 2 years to fully vaccinate everyone.  It is anticipated that more people will die long before then and Indians are asking the Government “Will we get vaccines after half the population is cremated?”

Meantime, more than 13 million people aged 18-45 have registered for the jab, but Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have said they will not start vaccinating this age group on 1 May as planned due to supply problems.  People are saying “India is paying the price due to negligence of the government.”

Bihar were promised free vaccines during the election campaign which were never given to them while other state governments have been giving free vaccines, such as Bengal, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Punjab, Maharashtra among many others, but presently, most governments are running short on vaccines.

It is studied that the best way to stop the pandemic from spreading is to vaccinate everyone and the only way to save lives is through vaccines, which would break the cycle of spread and inhibit the growth of the virus but poor planning and bad implementation with wrong priorities of the government led to this calamity in the country with the second wave coming with a new ferociousness inflicting massive fatalities with new variants which can be defeated through the vaccines.

Angry citizens express that the whole country witnessed how PM Modi messed up with COVID vaccination, He went “hopping to Pune and Hyderbad like a vaccine scientist of our country, later found exporting these vaccines to various countries, and today a huge shortage for Indians”  The Prime Minister is now silent on the “Tika Utsav” the massive vaccination drive he spoke about.

Meantime, the Center appears to be “missing in action.” with oxygen running out all over the country, people dying while oxygen and medicines are being sold in the black market. The good news is many citizens and opposition parties are rising to the occasion to help hospitals and patients.

Recently Bill Gates faced heavy criticism for saying that the COVID-19 vaccine technology should not be shared with developing countries like India citing security issues and said it would not be feasible to share COVID 19 vaccine patents with India. He claimed that even if it (vaccine tech sharing) happens in developing nations, it is because of “our grants and expertise.”

Bill Gates forgets that perhaps India is the world’s biggest vaccine producer and the home of many medical treatments and drugs which have helped the world while the Prime Minister forgets that his priority is to protect Indians and be a chowkidar and ensure that every citizen got their 2 jabs or more…a chowkidar post which he has miserably failed over the last seven years.  Is it time the Prime Minister steps down?

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