CoWIN

 

India’s largest vaccination drive and World’s largest vaccination drive, to be achieved in the least amount of time or as quickly as possible has been named as CoWin by our hard working PM. The politician in our PM, Narendra Damodardas Modi is the best, much higher above the best. The man born with only the marketing (building narratives) bones in his body. Always thinking about marketing in elections, the name of his schemes are always catchy, short for people to remember with a solid punchline; to show he is working.

 

The world was gasping for breath to know when the vaccine will be launched, so that the world can heal and perhaps start getting back to normal life. India kickstarted its vaccination program on January 16, 2021. On April 18, 2021, PM was addressing the election rally with much thunder and boasting about the number of people who had come in attendance to hear their PM. On the same day, India recorded 2.75 lakh new cases with 1620 deaths. On April 19, 2021, our Govt. opened vaccine for all (eligible group), which means everybody who is eligible to vote is also eligible for vaccine and the mass vaccine drive would begin from May 1, 2021.

 

The speed for taking decisions from our Govt. is commendable. Modi is a man possessed to do so much in as little time as possible. He is always racing against time. They have not developed a think tank to make properly reformed, researched decisions but they just sense in which direction, the wind is blowing and the shoot their arrow in that direction, mostly with blind folded eyes.

On April 6, 2021, IMA (Indian Medical Association) had requested vaccine for all and as the virus spread was again going up and vaccination was the only way to save the citizens from the impending disaster, we are staring at. However, the Centre (on the same day) refused to open up coronavirus vaccinations for all age groups, saying the aim was to cover the people who are the most vulnerable at the earliest. “The approach is that those vulnerable to mortality need to be covered soonest,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press conference. “The aim is to protect the most vulnerable. The aim is never to vaccinate whoever wants, but always on whoever needs.”

 

On April 7, 2021, Rahul Gandhi aka Pappu demanded vaccine to be opened for all age groups. “It’s ridiculous to debate needs and wants,” tweeted Gandhi. “Every Indian deserves the chance to a safe life.”

 

For the past two months, Rahul Gandhi tweets are actually dictating the decisions of the Govt. Whatever the Pappu says/tweets, the Govt. after refuting and mocking his tweets/words makes the exact decision. Decision taking is fast, but there is no planning or thinking whatsoever regarding the execution. I am totally confused, who is Pappu here, our Govt. or Rahul Gandhi or us, the citizens, who are left to die under the able guidance and leadership of Narendra Damodardas Modi. Nonetheless we have to applaud our Govt for making some efforts, even if it's too little too late. May be it is only a charade again to project, they are working and taking care the needs of the citizens for which they were elected with thumping majority.

 

There is vaccine hesitancy, the reason for vaccine wastage in India, wherein States and Centre are playing hockey on data. Distribution is purely and purely States responsibility, it is State Health Department’s responsibility to ensure minimal wastage. 25.35% of 136 Crores citizens were eligible in 45+ category and the number comes out to 34.5 Crs. Total of 12.39 Crs of vaccine doses were administered till April 19, 2021.

 

India remains at number 3 in terms of total doses administered. Well in any case, India cannot go beyond the 10^th place, even if Mexico had covered their entire population. On per capita basis, India is ranked somewhere at the bottom along with some third world country of Africa.

 

When we have barely covered one third in 45+ years category, what was the urgency to open 18 – 45 year age category for vaccination. Was it compulsion for optics or Govt. of India is taking instructions from Pappu? Less than two weeks in May and almost all the States have stated vaccination shortage and closed vaccination for 18 – 45 age until further notice.

 

The decision was fast but no working/study/analysis was undertaken regarding availability of vaccine or it was ensured after checking with States if they can speed up vaccination distribution strategy or not. 45% of citizens in 18 – 45 age group constitute 60 Crs on top of existing 25.35% of population and we have no vaccine. Right now, we are only looking at crashing of CoWIN App.

 

The digital push to Govt. work is another great vision of our PM. The way the Govt. has launched Apps for citizens to avail or take updates on different schemes, programs of the Govt. CoWIN is also part of the Digital India framework. Digital India has more or less failed, except for Jio’s success and the cheaper access of data, they have made for every Indian. But yes GoI has launched hundreds of apps for assistance of citizens.

 

Zero strategy, zero planning, zero execution. When the Govt. knows, they are opening up registration for 18 – 45 age category, the category of people who are most user friendly with smartphone, the same set of people carry the maximum number of smartphones in India or for that matter anywhere in the world. The largest subset of population with 60 Crs (no other country has as much population) number and the Health Ministry didn’t even check with IT Ministry to give them 10x or may be 100x bandwidth for CoWIN App to keep working smoothly.

 

Consultation and planning amongst different departments of the Govt. is null and void, if there is any. This was one of the most brilliant aspect of Modi’s style of working (as CM of Gujarat), he made all Secretaries sit together to sort out the problem instead of files being pushed for consultation and objections from one department to another. Health Ministry cannot complain because they didn’t ask. There are citizens who had predicted the crashing of the App as soon as registration is opened for 18 – 45 age category. And our IT Ministry is busy in blocking tweets, which are critical of our Govt. IT Ministry has its hands full in censorship of information.

 

To get back to Mr Gupta’s tweet, App crashing is a good sign for vaccine hesitancy. But it also implied it was hurried decision from the Govt. without proper thought, knowledge and information or lack of all stated here.

 

The stories amongst the citizens remains the same. Majority of the population is under lockdown, not by Govt. of India; GoI is shit scared about the image of its bearded babaji. Almost all States have imposed lockdown and hence crores of citizens are spending morning to evening on App to get a slot booked.

 

Almost all 18 – 45 age category couldn’t land on the booking page. CoWIN was overwhelmed with issuing captcha(s) or sending OTP(s), which in some cases took a day or two. But as usual Govt claims victory before the race has started by throwing numbers, which possess zero significance to vaccination drive. 80 Lakh registrations in first three hours of opening the booking.

 

If the Govt. couldn’t plan, anticipate the App’s workload, I sincerely and earnestly doubt if the ground situation has any hope of improving. Citizens can look at the slot available and press their choice and App starts processing and all slots gets filled. It is the story across the India. Now Citizens are betting, 70 slots available, booked in a minute, another says 120, third 200.

 

A large subset of marginal population who cannot afford smartphone is left out by CoWIN considering only 55% of Indians possess a smartphone. Is it Govt.’s feeble attempt to generate employment that the computer centre/operators around the country, get the work for getting the poor citizens registered at nominal charge of Rs. 50 – 100.

 

It has always been the essence of Modi Govt. make decisions at lightning speed without any thought process or planning and make crores of crores of citizens of this great Nation suffer. It all started from Demonetisation. A humble reminder to citizens to not fall for fake platitudes of PM but make him accountable for his actions and his lop sided policies and not only the boldness or the intention of the scheme.

 

Right now only WIN remains secluded in the CoWIN. Citizens who have been lucky to get a slot can actually claim victory over the App if not the virus by posing for a selfie with a V sign. We shudder to think of what will happen to CoWIN, when Govt. aims to clock One Crore doses/day in July/August. Will CoWIN go the Aarogya Setu App way? Redundant when its needed the most.