Dry Run and Challenges of Vaccines distribution in India

Dry Run and Challenges of Vaccines distribution in India

India carried out a nationwide Covid-19 vaccine dry run as the country moves closer to begin its massive Covid-19 vaccination roll out for the general public. Dry run to test preparedness for the nationwide roll-out of a COVID-19 vaccine kicked off in four States named Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab.

Objective of Dry Run of Vaccines distribution

The dry run is aimed at testing the planned operations and the laid out mechanisms for Covid-19 vaccination in the state. It will provide insights into any gaps or bottlenecks so that those could be addressed before the commencement of the actual drive.

Benefits of Dry Run of Vaccines distribution

1. Intended beneficiaries of each State, registered on Co-WIN’ app, have been sent text messages, containing info about the time and place of their “COVID-19 vaccination”.
2. All the beneficiaries will have to register themselves compulsorily on Co-Win platform and provide a photo ID proof upon asking.
3. Authorities will prepare a report for the STF, after conducting this dry run. STF will review the report and provide feedback and guidance to the authorities on further actions.
4. The report will also be submitted to the Union Ministry of health and Family Welfare.

Challenges in vaccine distribution in India

1. To complete the aims of the first phase of the covid vaccination drive, the public sector distribution capacity will need to be expanded 2-3 times.
2. There are gaps in the vaccine distribution system. As per the Audit of health ministry in 2017-18, 26% of eVIN cold chain points reported instances of stock out during the period of assessment. More than a fifth of facilities reported wastage of vaccines.
3. Interstate disparity in the distribution of cold chain infrastructure across the country. For instance, roughly 4 cold chain points serve 100,000 population in Gujarat, whereas there is just one cold chain for the same number of people in Jharkhand. 
4. Unique requirements of the COVID-19 Pandemic such as Identifying beneficiaries, ensuring they show up on the day of vaccination, and administering a second dose after a month, provide vaccine across age groups instead of current programmes focus on particularly vulnerable sections, etc. All these require micro-level planning with a proper collaboration from the top.
5. Post-vaccination challenges such as documentation of vaccination and the tracking and investigation of vaccine safety events, all are equally important to create positive public opinion about vaccination.
6. India has performed poorly on the analysis by WHO-UNICEF in 2018, it ranked among 89 countries in 51-75 percentile range on effective vaccine management.
7. If the present infrastructure of universal immunization programme is used as planned, what will happen to the regular immunization drive, is also a big challenge in front of government.