IF benevolent hearts like C Janardanan are ready to support the fight against the deadly pandemic, a government can do anything to ensure the availability of vaccines. Such tremendous action was the response of the people of Kerala to implement free and universal vaccination. No one appealed to them to donate money to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF), but thousands of Keralites living in the state and abroad have extended huge support for the vaccine challenge. The cabinet had no other option but to decide on the purchase of one crore doses of vaccine and float a global tender to purchase another three crore doses.

A few social media profiles have begun a vaccine challenge campaign after V Muraleedharan, BJP leader and central minister, challenged the state government to purchase the vaccine to vaccinate people in the age group of 18-45. He said that no free vaccine will be sent to Kerala. This roused the emotions of the people, including celebrities in the film industry. They announced that they are ready to pay for the amount of two doses of vaccine they took.

This campaign changed the whole scenario. Beedi worker Janardanan entered into a bank branch and showed his passbook and requested the officer to transfer Rs 2 lakh to the vaccine fund leaving a meagre amount in his account. The officer repeatedly told him to rethink as he insisted 90 per cent of his savings be transferred to the fund. Janardanan had been working in Dinesh beedi company for 35 years. His savings included the gratuity of his late wife. He attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Pinarayi Vijayan led LDF government on May 20. Subaida, a goat farmer from Kollam, has contributed two goats to CMDRF. She too was invited to the swearing-in ceremony.

The vaccine fund received a huge response after Janardanan and Subaida’s stories were carried by a large section of the media. Various organisations started sending money to CMDRF under vaccine challenge. The chief minister informed about the contributions made by individuals and organisations from within the state and outside. Even students and children started donating money from their hundi and their various scholarship amounts. According to the CMDRF section, the vaccine challenge started on April 21 and the total money collected so far is Rs 35.91 crore. The cabinet entrusted a committee of senior officials headed by the chief secretary to talk with the authorities of vaccine companies.

Kerala has purchased 1,37,580 doses of Covaxin and the shipment from Bharat Biotech has reached on May 12. Another 3,76,100 doses will reach shortly. Earlier, 3.5 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine reached the state. The companies informed that only nine lakh doses can be purchased in the first phase. The notification for global tender for the purchase of vaccines was issued on May 19. Among people in the 18-45 category, priority will be given to the persons with co-morbidities.