5 Steps To 1 Billion Doses

India’s vaccination achievement holds key lessons for other countries

- Bill Gates

Over and over again, I have been impressed by India’s ability to address extremely difficult health challenges at the scale of a subcontinent with almost 1.4 billion people. Now, India has achieved another milestone: Administering more than 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

This vaccine drive is the largest, and one of the fastest, ever. Estimates suggest that more than 75% of India’s adult population has received a first dose and over 31% has received a second dose; more than 48% of whom are women. This progress is critical not just for India but for the whole world. Given the country’s size and population, its transmission levels directly impact the time frame within which the world can end the crisis phase of this borderless pandemic.

While the job is not yet complete, it is important to analyse the key ingredients of India’s success, both so it can continue to build on its progress and so other countries can learn lessons from India’s experience and adapt them to their own circumstances.

First, the political will has been strong from top to bottom. Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to vaccinate all eligible Indian adults against Covid-19 by December 31, 2021, state and district leaders have responded with urgency. High-powered committees set up in 2020 charted road maps for vaccine R&D and manufacturing, and the phased delivery of vaccines across India’s adult population starting with those most at risk.