GS4 · 20 marks · 250 words

As India's vaccination drive against the COVID-19 pandemic breaches the 100 crore inoculation mark, some of the most backward tribal districts of the country still remain unvaccinated. You are the new District Magistrate (DM) in one such tribal district. The vaccination drive has been unsuccessful in the district so far despite imminent threats of the virus. It is believed that the tribals of the district refuse to get vaccinated due to their personal beliefs regarding immunization. Further, the community doctor who works in geriatrics and has almost daily contact with members of the district, too has refused to be vaccinated based on his personal beliefs. This has made the people more adamant about their decision to remain unvaccinated. Additionally, rumours of a few deaths post-vaccination have spread in the district. There is also a high risk of rising cases in the nearby districts spilling over to your district. There is a dire need for assuaging the fear of people and extreme pressure on the administration to take action and conduct the vaccination drive smoothly. (a) What are the ethical issues in the given case? (b) As the DM in charge, what steps will you take to tackle the issues? (c) Discuss how persuasion can be used to convince people to voluntarily get vaccinated.

Answered by 6 toppers · CSE 2021

Social Influence and PersuasionCrisis Decision MakingEthical Dilemmas in GovernmentEmpathy and CompassionAttitude

Syllabus: Case Studies on above issues.

How toppers approached it

From all 6 answers · about 290 words · 50% drew a diagram.

Opening

  • No separate opening83%
  • A definition17%

Body

  • Points100%

Close

  • No separate close83%
  • A way forward17%

The toppers’ answers

Utkarsh DwivediAIR 5 · CSE 2021 · 159 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

The case highlights the lack of scientific temper based on unsubstantiated morals.

Body · points

(a) Ethical Issues

→ Unscientific beliefs of people based on superstitions.

→ Lack of trust in the administration because of which people are not vaccinating.

→ Violation of Hippocratic oath by the community doctor who himself is an anti-vaxxer and promoting such behaviour.

→ Spread of rumors and fake news relating to deaths post-vaccination.

→ Slackness in completing vaccination target by the administration when the virus is raging.

(b) My steps as the DM

→ Leading by example by getting vaccination myself and to my entire administrative staff in front of citizens.

→ Persuading the community doctor to not resist vaccination. Being a doctor himself, he is violating medical ethics.

→ Calling a meeting of experts and Gram Sabha sarpanches in my office and convincing them for vaccination by highlighting how vaccination reduces mortality.

→ Creating awareness drives in villages to counter rumor against post vaccination deaths.

Close · no separate close

None written.

More on Social Influence and Persuasion

Conformity, obedience, group pressure and persuasion, and the use of either by a public servant.

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