Uncertainty has loomed large about the availability of vaccines in Kashmir division over the month of May. The recent controversy that a part of the vaccine supply meant for Kashmir was diverted to Jammu has added fuel to the fire, the masses now fuming after the reports. In a detailed telephonic interview with Director General Health, Family Welfare and Immunization Dr Saleem ur Rehman (SR) Greater Kashmir correspondent Zehru Nissa (ZN) seeks clear answers.
ZN: There are no vaccines in Kashmir right now. Is that a fact?
SR: At present the entire country is reeling under a supply delay of Covid Vaccine, so is the entire UT of J&K including Kashmir Division as well. We have some stock for the 18-45 age group and we have been trying to keep the second doses running. But currently, there is some delay not shortage and we are expecting replenishment in a day or two for 45+ age group.
ZN: How come Jammu division vaccination is running so well, even amidst this shortage?
SR: The vaccination process initiated by the Government depends upon a host of factors including readiness of people for taking the vaccine shots. The people in Jammu division readily accepted the vaccine shots right from day one. However, people in Kashmir were reluctant and resistant towards taking the vaccine. As the deaths due to COVID19 started rising, vaccinations suddenly spiked in Kashmir. There were days when we vaccinated over 50,000 people in a day. That resulted in a faster consumption of the vaccine than what we could replenish. In Jammu, the vaccination pace has remained more or less steady which is the reason the vaccination could continue a week extra in Jammu.
ZN: What was the volume of the vaccines that were diverted from Kashmir division to Jammu division in March?
SR: This cannot be said to be a diversion in a strict sense rather it was a move to save the vaccine from expiry which was about to expire in 4 to 5 months due to less vaccine takers in Kashmir valley. The pace of vaccination started in Kashmir after April 15 and as I said during this time the whole country is reeling under supply delay so is J&K. Having said this, in the Kashmir Division we have received 18 lakh doses of vaccine for 45+ age groups, Healthcare Workers (HCW) and Frontline Workers (FLW). In Jammu Division we received 18,38,670 doses.
Basically what happened is that in the Month of April, we had a very high hesitancy of vaccines in the Kashmir division. We were not able to carry out more than a few thousand vaccinations in a day. In fact in March, 11th March to be precise, a batch of vaccines was set to expire, if the vaccination continued at the prevalent speed. It was diverted to Jammu because in Kashmir, there seemed to be no takers. Rather, officials were skeptical about the entire vaccination drive. The vaccine position on that day was precisely 10,19,000 in Kashmir, way more than Jammu where it was 7,92,000. Keeping in view the reluctance, resistance and mood of people, this large supply would have expired in 4-5 months. Many officials from many districts were seeking permission to return more supply from the districts. Therefore, around one lakh vaccine doses expiring in May were sent to Jammu. It was rather a strategic move for the better utilization of the vaccine and to save them from getting expired.
ZN: So, since April, when vaccination picked up, as you say, how many people have received vaccines in Jammu and how many in Kashmir?
SR: The exact figure, I may not be able to give off hand but as per the last calculations done on 15 May, about 10. 2 lakh vaccine doses were administered in 45 plus age groups in Jammu. In the Kashmir division, 9.5 lakh doses were administered during the same period. Not any disparity you see, given that the first two weeks of May were lukewarm in Kashmir.
ZN: What about the vaccination for the 18-44 year age group that started on May 01. Vaccination in Kashmir had picked up when this phase started.
SR: You will be glad to know that we have procured 1.92 lakh doses each for Jammu and Kashmir divisions for this age group. This includes 1.5 lakh doses of Covaxin, 75000 for each division, at the very beginning.
ZN: Was that it? What is your outlook for this age group?
SR: Let us accept a fact – vaccines are not unlimited in supply. So whatever we have in stock for this age group, we would want to administer it judiciously, for the most at risk first. GoI is making changes in the Cowin app and it will be reflected soon on the portal. We will start this vaccination in other districts apart from Jammu and Srinagar but based on the risk assessment.
ZN: The comparisons are still too stark, 61 percent population coverage in Kashmir division and 85.6 percent in Jammu division?
SR: The comparisons are very stark between the districts of the same division also. Look at Shopian with almost 98 percent of the 45 plus age group covered. Now look at Srinagar, just a little over 35 percent covered. Huge disparity this is. But is the coverage disparity due to vaccine availability disparity? No. It is due to the differing attitude towards the vaccine, in fact starkly differing attitude towards the vaccine. In Srinagar, which has the highest population among all districts in J&K, we have had a very tough time initially as hesitancy was very high. Even among the healthcare workers in Srinagar, the initial few months had very sluggish consumption of vaccines. That, in my opinion, has been the biggest jolt to vaccination in Kashmir.
Though Srinagar district has started doing vaccination now, initial days of reluctance is responsible for the drop in overall percentage bringing down the overall percentage of Kashmir division.
Look at Jammu division and its disparity among districts. We have Jammu district with almost 100 percent coverage and we have Doda with 46 percent coverage. These are issues which we are trying to address.
ZN: Vaccine shortage is brewing uncertainty and doubts in Kashmir? Do you see it getting addressed anytime soon?
SR: Yes, we are on the job of getting as many vaccines as we can for the entire UT. Let us not call it shortage. It’s a delay. We just need to find ways to move around this delay in supply which we are doing right now.
I want to bring this fact to light that Jammu and Kashmir has achieved 58 percent vaccination of the population amongst 45+ age group , compared to the National average of 32 percent. It means we are moving very fast, especially in the age group which is most vulnerable. Let me also say that the J & K government with the able Honourable Lieutenant Governor and his active team was the first in the country to approve procurement of vaccines from Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech. It was done as soon as the GoI announced vaccination to be given in the age group of 18 to 44. Advance payment has also been done for this already.
But we must also understand that vaccine making is a biological process and it takes time. Nothing can be done to shrink that natural time.
ZN: What is the next month looking like for vaccination in J&K?
SR: Given the myths and misconceptions, we initiated a huge advocacy campaign in Kashmir Division by roping in people for vaccination. We used opinion leaders, influencers, academicians, and religious leaders to convince people for vaccines. But even that didn’t pay till we got the surge of cases across.
I would have wished that the interest of the media in vaccines came at a point when hesitancy against vaccination in Kashmir was at its peak, especially when the rumors against its multiple side effects were circulated left, right and center. These rumors which we tried to handle, almost solo, are the main reason that dissuaded the general population from accepting it.
It is unfortunate that we got awakened only when there was a surge in transmission, severity and morality, and by that time demand for vaccines had grown exponentially not only nationally but globally as well. Many vaccines are making debut soon in India and would be available in J&K too. However, we would attempt to prioritise the high risk individuals among the underprivileged category again and attempt to save more lives.