‘Tika Maha Abhiyan’, the mega Covid vaccination initiative of the state government which saw a state-wide launch on Monday is going to be of enormous importance for Arunachal Pradesh. Although the process was going on and had kicked off simultaneous to the national rollout on January 16 this year, it’s a matter of fact that due to various reasons, the momentum that was desirable was lacking. As such, a new official announcement with a further reminder to all stakeholders that time is running out was much necessary. It has come at the right juncture when the intensity of the pandemic in the state seems to be waning and a general consensus among the citizens is gaining ground that vaccines are sine qua non. The state has set the goal of attaining a 100% coverage of the eligible population within the next three months. This should  be reached at any cost keeping in mind the caveat of the medical experts that a 3^rd wave in all probability may strike the country sometime in October. Undoubtedly, this is going to be the biggest public health challenge Arunachal has so far faced in its history as a full-fledged state.

From day one of the national Covid vaccination launch that subsequently saw multiple tweaks in the overall policy and also a series of structural adjustments, the idea of reliance on the online mode to a good extent has remained contentious. The experience of the first four months have compelled the health administrations at the Centre and the state(s) alike to accept the reality that in a geographically vast country like India where internet penetration is still meager vis-à-vis the tall claims of a vibrant Digital India and digital literacy next to zero particularly in the rural belts where most of the population live, it is too over-ambitious a proposition. The ‘amendments’ have come finally, but valuable time has been lost and this is proving costly. For Arunachal, which is already overwhelmed by countless infrastructural problems, both in terms of surface communication, health and internet connectivity, the online registration diktat for getting the shots has given an opposite result of the intention. Thankfully, this aspect has been taken care of in the ‘Tika Maha Abhiyan’ and those who do not even possess a photo ID card will not be deprived from getting vaccinated. This will come as a huge respite and with all decks cleared, it’s time to jump into action with an attitude of ‘per-day target, per-day fulfillment’. It also ushers a fair amount of hope that all stakeholders, those within the government machinery as well as those representing the greater Arunachalee society are ready to accept the challenge.

Arunachal has the capability to do it and well before the onset of Covid 3.0, provided the Centre ensures there is no supply hiccup.