Neeraj Ghaywan rues unfair distribution of vaccine, says people are being denied of it due to improper planning

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has censured the “unfair” process of registering for vaccination in India. He says people are being denied access to the life saving drug because of the complications of the system.

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan is appalled by the technical complexities of Covid vaccine registration in India. Calling the whole process “cumbersome”, he feels the chaos is depriving many unprivileged access to the life saving drug.

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan is helping his staff and their families get a slot for vaccination. (Hindustan Times)

“There’s no way of knowing when the slots open. I tried to do it for my help, my driver and their spouses. But there’s too much chaos right now. I can do it because I have a laptop and fast internet,” Ghaywan shares, adding that the entire process — registration, OTP, captcha verification — is unfair, especially for people who aren’t so well-versed technologically.

Adding to the hassle is slots vanishing in “split seconds”, he points out, saying, “You see 300 slots and then by the time you get an OTP, they’re gone. By chance if any slot is available, it will ask for captcha. Now, a poor person won’t even understand what is a captcha, which itself is very complicated. In Mumbai, people who have access to (the right technology) are getting the vaccine.”

“It’s just ridiculous. I can’t believe that this kind of technology and improper planning is for a life saving drug. I understand there’s a vaccine scarcity, which is a bigger problem, but people are also being denied the same because of the complications of the system,” he says, further sharing that even many of his “educated friends and acquaintances” are having trouble figuring out the layered process.

Acknowledging the “inequality” in vaccine distribution in metros, the filmmaker can’t fathom the situation in the villages, which he feels would be a “nightmare”.

He even vented out his disappointment on Twitter, and was asked by some to give a solution. “Just because I don’t have a solution, it doesn’t mean I can’t ask a question. My job isn’t to find answers. I’m relying on the state or the government for that,” he stresses.

That said, Ghaywan feels home to home vaccination might be helpful and wonder why the authorities haven’t tried that option yet. Currently, he’s using his social media reach to help people asking for oxygen cylinders, ICU beds etc.

“But I gave up because I realised people are asking for medical help, and I know that it’s not available. I don’t want to lie to a person saying, ‘We’re trying’. It was harrowing,” he confesses, admitting that his “pain and suffering” is nothing compared to what many people are going through.