Got my first jab of Covaxin today.

A thread on the vaccination story in Gujarat. Please read, and please share. The nation needs to know how the COVID vaccination program I myself was critical of is actual the most wonderful phenomenon India has got to see (1/n)

Happened to be at the centre where the nodal Vaccination officer was incidentally the state in-charge. Not govt employee. Gave me insights into the program.

Guj signed its first Pvt. procurement agreements with Vax manufacturers way before the third phase began(2/n)

15 dist corps have the highest no. Of operational vax centres in the country. Seamless process, no lines or herding.
It has received the highest number of doses from manufacturers till now.
Ppl in villages are vaccinated on door with dhanvantari vans. Free of charge. (3/n)

Dhanvantri vans not only provide vaccines, but also pre emptive testing and medicines. They personally follow up with you on phone till post recovery.
This is not just for households, but also labourers.
Surprisingly, there isn't Vax hesitancy, but Vax laziness in guj. (4/n)

Guj aims to vaccinate most eligible in 6 months. Has allocated funds accordingly. Since it's first wave was deadly, it has aggressively responded to the second wave. It's catering to patients from neighbouring states in phenomenonal no.s. no questions asked. (5/n)

It's the only state that never imposed a lockdown, & the prime example of how devolution of management to panchayats have reaped huge advantages. Vaccinating, treating, entire villages in a go. Seeing it with my own eyes now, it's a marvel in sight. The newfound guj model (6/n)

When I argued abt Vax prog being slow & health infra management a lil slack, got a tough response from those gathered there. Most had lost someone or the other. But, it is Modi, they said owing to which India is still functional. Else we had be a crippled nation by now. (7/n)

I couldn't agree, but as they described the small particulars of how beautifully medical systems were coordinated, esp in guj, I numbed down. I lost the argument. But felt happy. Ppl know how things work, & appreciate the govt. The WSJ/twitter/insta world is a facade (8/n)

When ppl pitch about the Kerala model, I don't see how not to laugh with despair as they defend the gross uncontrollable rise & mismanagement of cases there. Media does not report the guj model, bcoz it's scared. Scared of how the business state is as solid a health state (9/n)

So when it's said that bengal cant be another guj, it is true. It never can be. Not with the sheer infra & capacity the state has build up over years. Proof how development helps employment, education & health related social indexes too, including pharma companies. (10/n)

While I am delighted, & proud, to be in a managed system as this, I do wish that other states emulate the same.

Ultimately, it is what constitutes federal unity. If only politics can ever rise above it. (n/n)