India Begins World's Largest Vaccination Campaign...Will It Bring Hope to Developing Countries?

Vaccination Plan for 300 Million People by July
No Cold Chain Needed, but Vaccination Conditions Set Starting with Own Country

India began the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign on the 16th (local time).
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Gong Byung-sun] The world's largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign has begun in India. India's vaccination effort is expected to serve as a benchmark for vaccine rollouts in developing countries.

According to CNBC on the 16th (local time), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially announced the start of COVID-19 vaccinations that day. This came less than two weeks after the emergency use authorization of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine (Covishield) and the locally developed Bharat Biotech vaccine (Covaxin) on the 4th (local time).

India's health authorities plan to vaccinate 300 million people by July. This is the largest scale in the world, accounting for about 22% of India's approximately 1.38 billion population. India will first vaccinate 10 million healthcare workers. Then, 20 million frontline workers such as military personnel, police officers, and civil servants will be vaccinated, followed by 270 million people aged 50 and above, as well as those under 50 with chronic diseases and comorbidities, according to the Indian health authorities' plan.

To ensure smooth vaccine supply, India has established large vaccine storage facilities in four locations nationwide and over 29,000 cold chain distribution points. More than 150,000 personnel have been secured to ensure uninterrupted vaccination. Armed police will guard storage facilities and transport vehicles to prevent vaccine loss or illegal distribution. Additionally, Indian health authorities have developed an application called ‘Co-Win’ to facilitate easy vaccination for citizens, providing information on vaccine distribution status, vaccination registration, and QR code-based verification.

There is an interpretation that the results of India's vaccination campaign could significantly influence the global vaccine market in the future.

India is the world's largest exporter of generic drugs and produces about three-fifths of the world's vaccines. The Serum Institute of India, a vaccine manufacturer producing the AstraZeneca vaccine, has also been selected as a major supplier for the Covax Facility, a multinational vaccine equity alliance led by the World Health Organization (WHO). The success of stable global vaccine supply depends on stable manufacturing in India.

It is also analyzed that India's vaccination campaign could serve as a ‘vaccine benchmark’ for developing countries with poorly established infrastructure. The AstraZeneca vaccine and Bharat Biotech's vaccine, which India has started administering, do not require ultra-cold storage for distribution. This creates an environment where developing countries, which find it difficult to establish cold chain facilities due to cost, can also vaccinate their populations. Furthermore, as of the 18th, India ranks second in the world with over 10.57 million cumulative COVID-19 cases, making it one of the countries that have struggled with containment. If the number of confirmed cases decreases after vaccination, it could be interpreted as evidence of the vaccine's effectiveness.

However, concerns have been raised that India's vaccination campaign may not have a strong influence on the global vaccine market or developing countries for the time being. This is because India has prioritized its own vaccination efforts. Criticism has also been raised regarding vaccine safety issues. The Bharat Biotech vaccine, which received emergency approval this time, had not completed Phase 3 clinical trials but was approved early on the 3rd (local time). In response, the Indian opposition issued a statement saying, “Indian citizens are not guinea pigs.”