Who is the ghost sending “Vaccination complete” SMS in Cachar; Sushmita Dev latest beneficiary

One of the largest immunisation programmes in the world is going on in India. The country has so far administered 10,15,95,147 jabs of vaccines to fight against the COVID-induced pandemic.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data, 14,86,294 doses have been administered in Assam. 12,36,253 of them are first doses while 2,50,041 are second doses.

While these stats are great, the recent chain of events in Cachar and other parts of Assam cast a shadow of doubt on these numbers. Are people actually getting the doses or the numbers are simply being faked to mislead. The source of that doubt is hundreds of text messages that the beneficiaries in Assam have got without getting the second dose.

While initially it was declared that the second dose will be administered after 28 days, later the Ministry of Health suggested a gap of 45 days at least between the two doses. But in Cachar, a large number of the beneficiaries of first dose are getting a text message on 28th day which claims that the vaccination is complete even though they didn’t visit a centre, let alone getting the jab.

The latest beneficiary of the SMS without dose is National President of Mahila Congress, Sushmita Dev. The former MP got the SMS though she did not even visit to a vaccination centre.

The message she received reads, “Dear Sushmita Dev , You have been vaccinated with second dose of COVID-19. This message is from Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for obtaining your feedback on COVID -19 vaccination. You may provide your feedback by clicking on https:// ras.gov.in/cowin/ufbk/ 176265702?lang=1012 Vaccination certificate can be viewed on DigiLocker in UMANG App. – Digital India Corporation.”

Speaking with Barak Bulletin, Sushmita Dev said, “I had got my first jab on March 11. The Health Department suggested me to visit for second dose after 45 days instead of 28. Therefore I did not visit the centre for the second dose. To my astonishment, I received an SMS on the 28th day which states I have been vaccinated with both the doses.”

Dev added, “It is also stated that message is from Ministry of Health. Now my question is, if according to the Ministry’s records, I have already been administered the second dose, will they allot a dose for me when I visit the centre after 45 days?”

She is not the only first-dose beneficiary who is confused by the message. There are thousands like her and many of them being senior citizens, they are not only confused but also worried.

Who are sending these messages. Deputy Commissioner of Cachar said District Immunisation Officer, Dr. Soumona Naiding is authorised person to comment on the issue. Naiding said, “We are not sending the SMS, our interaction with the software is limited to feeding data and not pushing communication. Also, beneficiaries of other districts have received the same SMS. I think, this is happening due to a technical failure at the state level. However, I am not sure if it is a technical failure as the error is yet to be identified.”

So it is not only the beneficiaries who are confused, the administration is equally puzzled. The larger question now is will they get the second dose after 45 days and who will give them that assurance. Also, who’s the ghost sending all these messages on behalf of the Ministry of Health?