Covid vaccine doses lying unused in private centres in Thane

Around one lakh Covid vaccine doses are lying with private vaccination centres across Thane city; with hardly a handful of people opting for private vaccination, the chances of these doses going waste have increased

Around one lakh vaccine doses are lying with private vaccination centres across Thane city. With hardly a handful of people opting for private vaccination, the chances of these doses going waste have increased.

Covid vaccine vials in abundant quantity being unused at private vaccination centres in Thane. (PRAFUL GANGURDE/HT PHOTO)

Doctors from private hospitals in Thane city suggested putting the excess vaccine doses to use rather than waste them.

The Serum Institute of India’s Covishield has a shelf life of nine months. Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin has a shelf life of six months, but it has now been extended to 12 months.

Private hospitals were allowed to procure vaccines directly from the manufactures from May this year. Soon after a shortage of doses in government hospitals were noted, this prompted many private players to stock themselves with as many vaccine doses as available.

However, with the increase of vaccination centres within the Thane civic body and increased availability of free doses, the accessibility towards government vaccination centres were on the rise.

The demand for private vaccination centres declined. Even those who took the first jab through a private facility started preferring free second jabs at government facilities. Most private hospitals, therefore, have ample vaccine stocks and with nine to 12 months as the expiry date of these vaccine doses, they are likely to expire between February and April 2022.

Currently many of the private hospitals allow vaccination within their premises only once a week as the demand has dipped drastically. On Wednesday and Thursday, the civic body saw hardly 200 and 120 vaccines, respectively, administered in private hospitals across Thane city.

Dr Amol Gitte, medical director, Siddhivinayak Hospital, Thane, said, “Now, in private hospitals, we are only receiving beneficiaries who are due for their second dose. The government or local civic body can now make use of the vaccines available in private centres before the existing ones reach expiry date.”

Some hospitals like Jupiter are conducting vaccination sessions only once a week as the demand has decreased drastically.

Post Diwali, less than 500 vaccine doses are being administered on a daily basis in private centres across Thane Municipal Corporation jurisdiction. Meanwhile, around 13,000 vaccine doses are administered by government centres daily.

It was from September that the demand for private vaccination started falling. All those who could afford to pay for vaccination eagerly came forward to get jabbed as soon as the doses were available for all age groups initially. As private vaccination centres were available easily through online booking, many availed the same in the beginning.

Moreover, there were planned vaccination camps conducted in residential areas and corporates that were available to many more. “Thus only those who cannot afford private vaccines or those who are reluctant to get the vaccine were left unvaccinated. Every hospital has sourced these vaccine vials and paid for them as well. Hence, they may expect payment for the vials if any local governing authority shows interest,” said a senior doctor from a private hospital in Thane.

Dr Santosh Kadam, president, Indian Medical Association, Thane chapter, said, “There are certain pockets in the city or within Thane district where vaccination continues to be less. Corporates can consider these as CSR activities and provide vaccines from private hospitals to such remote areas for free. As there continues to be reluctance among these pockets to get vaccinated, through CSR activities, more awareness with the help of fun sessions can be inculcated.”

Until August, Thane city had the most number of vaccine stock available in private centres than government centres. There used to be serpentine queues outside government centres but the shortage of vaccine prompted many to get inoculated at private centres. Moreover, many housing societies and private corporate offices conducted the vaccination through the private vaccination facility in the months of June and July.

Vipin Sharma, TMC commissioner, said, “We have not yet received any official order regarding usage of vaccine vials with private centres. Our focus is to meet 100% first dose vaccination across the city as of now. If need be, we can make use of those vials as a booster dose of vaccination. However, we are awaiting an order from the State government on the same.”