Close X
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
ADVT 
India

India's Covid vax policy leading to avertable deaths: Experts

Darpan News Desk IANS, 10 Jun, 2021 12:19 PM
  • India's Covid vax policy leading to avertable deaths: Experts

London, June 10 (IANS) The Indian government's Covid-19 vaccination approach has inappropriately prioritised people and is thus causing huge numbers of avertable deaths, warn a team of nine experts from research institutes in the UK and India.

The government's current approach to vaccination -- focusing on younger age groups -- "is causing huge numbers of avertable deaths and is deeply inequitable, both between age groups and within them", argue doctors and researchers in a commentary published in British medical journal fro BMJ on Wednesday.

From May 3 to June 5, 2021, more first doses were administered to people under 45 than over 60, even though at least 77 million people aged 60 remain unvaccinated, they wrote.

They urged the government to take a more targeted approach and reallocate available doses to older people, especially in more deprived areas.

India's vaccination programme began, in January 2021, with health professionals and "frontline workers." In March, it was extended to people aged 60 or over and those aged 45 or over with comorbidities, and in April to anyone aged 45 or over. From May 1, vaccine entitlement was extended to all people aged 18 or over, although people under 45 had to pay.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra announced that vaccines would now also be free for people aged 18-45. But, authors suggest it is likely to increase the focus of vaccination on people in this young age group, rather than those aged 45 or over.

"In practice, access to Covid-19 vaccination is mainly determined by socioeconomic status, with very low coverage in rural areas and among disadvantaged urban populations," they wrote.

"As a result, Indians of all ages are increasingly resorting to private purchases, and the country's minimal pension system makes this especially unaffordable for older people," they added.

There is also no special provision to facilitate vaccine access for adults with impaired mobility, they said, adding that older people are less familiar with the digital technology that is required to make a booking for taking the jab.

The concern was also voiced by World Health Organisation Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "There is a disturbing narrative in some countries that it's OK if older people die. It's not OK.

"It is important that everywhere older people are prioritised for vaccination. Those most at risk of severe disease and death from Covid-19, including health workers and older people, must come first. And they must come first everywhere," he added, in a recent statement.

While some Indian states have reallocated available doses to older people, the researchers urged the Central government to do the same until all elderly people in India receive at least one dose.

The researchers include from the University of East Anglia, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, King's College London, University of Aberdeen from the UK; Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, and Alagappa University in Tamil Nadu.

MORE India ARTICLES

Asif Iqbal Abdul Gaffar Pathan- A Mumbai Cab Driver That Turns Internet’s Newest Hero!

The story of a Mumbai cab driver's honesty has gone viral online, and it's making people smile from ear to ear. The story was shared by a Twitter user who goes by the handle '@DarthSierra'.    

Asif Iqbal Abdul Gaffar Pathan- A Mumbai Cab Driver That Turns Internet’s Newest Hero!

India Unhappy Over Pakistan Not Giving Visa To Official Sikh Jatha

India Unhappy Over Pakistan Not Giving Visa To Official Sikh Jatha
India has registered a strong protest at Pakistan governments refusal to grant visa to an "official jatha" comprising 87 pilgrims who wanted to go there on the martyrdom day of Sikh Guru Arjan Dev, sources said here on Friday.

India Unhappy Over Pakistan Not Giving Visa To Official Sikh Jatha

‘Disease Will Spread’: ‘Metro Man’ Sreedharan Asks PM Modi To Reject AAP’s Free Ride Plan For Women

Earlier this month, the Arvind Kejriwal-government had announced that it would make commute for women in public buses and metro trains free.  

‘Disease Will Spread’: ‘Metro Man’ Sreedharan Asks PM Modi To Reject AAP’s Free Ride Plan For Women

Staying Off Social Media Helped, Says IIT Entrance Topper Kartikey Gupta

Kartikey Gupta, who hails from Ballarpur in Maharashtra, came first in the Common Rank List (CRL) of JEE Advanced 2019.  

Staying Off Social Media Helped, Says IIT Entrance Topper Kartikey Gupta

Ram Vilas Paswan's Party Splits, Rebel Leaders Launch New Outfit

Ram Vilas Paswan's Party Splits, Rebel Leaders Launch New Outfit
Led by Lok Janshakti Party national general secretaries Satyanand Sharma and Anil Kumar Paswan, and Treasurer Ramesh Chandra Kapoor, the rebel leaders on Thursday announced launch of LJP (Secular).  

Ram Vilas Paswan's Party Splits, Rebel Leaders Launch New Outfit

No Space To Keep Coins, Banks Tell Shirdi Sai Baba Temple

The counting of cash collected in donation boxes of the famous Sai Baba temple in Shirdi was cancelled as bank officials did not turn up citing lack of space to keep coins.

No Space To Keep Coins, Banks Tell Shirdi Sai Baba Temple