‘Missing’ Covid vaccine vials found at a hair transplant clinic in Mumbra

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has found 40 vaccine doses, which allegedly went missing from a vaccination centre in Mumbra, in a hair transplant clinic on Sunday. The civic body has sealed the clinic and is inquiring if the incidents are connected.

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has found 40 vaccine doses, which allegedly went missing from a vaccination centre in Mumbra, in a hair transplant clinic on Sunday. The civic body has sealed the clinic and is inquiring if the incidents are connected.

TMC officials sealed the hair transplant clinic in Mumbra. (Source)

Locals had on Saturday complained that vaccine doses were missing from the vaccination centre at Kausa, Mumbra. The owner of the clinic claimed the vials were taken for a vaccination camp being conducted for healthcare workers in Mumbra. However, no such permission for a private vaccination camp was taken from TMC.

Based on a tip off, TMC officials visited Shah Hair Transplant Laser and Cosmetic Clinic at Kausa, Mumbra on Sunday morning and found vaccine doses in the clinic. “We found four vials which constitute 40 doses from a clinic in Mumbra. Currently, we are busy with the ongoing vaccination drive across the city and cannot share further details,” said Dr Hemangi Ghode, medical officer, Kausa, TMC.

Senior TMC officials confirmed that an inquiry will be conducted to ascertain which batch these vials are from and whether these were from the vaccination centre.

Meanwhile, Mumtaz Shah, owner of clinic, said they had a stock of vaccines for a camp that was organised for healthcare workers in the city. “There was a shortage of doses in the city last week; many doctors did not get their second dose of vaccine. Hence, we decided to conduct a vaccination camp for healthcare workers. Ten medical practitioners were vaccinated on Saturday as part of the camp. We have conducted such camps in the past as well with the permission of the civic body,” said Shah.

TMC officials claimed no such permission was given. “We did not get any such request for a vaccination camp, and we have not handed over vials to any such clinic officially. Hence, we seized the vials and sealed the premises,” said a senior TMC official on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, Shah, who is associated with a political party as well, said, “The vials were being used for a positive cause; it was for healthcare workers. We had similar number of vials remaining from a vaccination drive conducted 10 days ago which we had kept at the stadium. In place of those, these vials were taken, we did not take another official permission for the same though,” said Shah.

On Saturday, the vaccination centre in Kausa stadium saw a huge crowd of beneficiaries. As this was a walk-in vaccination centre, tokens were distributed to all those who wanted to get inoculated. After around 150 tokens, the authorities at the centre asked other waiting beneficiaries to leave, “TMC always shares a list of vaccination centres along with the number of doses available at the centre. Despite 300 vials being available on Saturday, the centre at Kausa stadium provided tokens to only 150 people. We started asking them about the remaining doses as we were waiting in the queue for almost two to three hours. Only after much insistence did they decide to give a few more doses,” said Riza Merchant, 38, resident of Kausa who got vaccinated at the stadium on Saturday.

Another Mumbra resident, Saif Pathan, said, “This incident clearly shows that the vials have been taken from the vaccination centre with the consent of someone at the centre. Mumbra mostly comprises of people from low-income groups staying in congested settlements. There is an urgent need for vaccination in such places. With the shortage of doses within Thane city and the increasing demand to get fully vaccinated at the earliest as part of the new relaxation rules, such incidents of missing vials could increase.”

TMC resumed vaccination drive on Saturday after a gap of four days in view of vaccine shortage.