10,000 vax doses from Wardha & rural Nagpur bail out city

NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday received 5,000 doses of Covaxin from Wardha district, which averted break in inoculation at two centres at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in city. Only 400 doses of Covaxin were left with the GMCH on Tuesday, which were enough for one more day.

GMCH is the only centre in the district administering Covaxin. The state government had provided 5,200 doses of Covaxin — 2,000 on January 15 and 3,200 on January 28.These doses were meant for healthcare workers (HCWs) of GMCH and Superspeciality Hospital. Less than 50% of the HCWs from these hospitals took the first dose and very few turned up for the second jab.
After the government started vaccination of age-appropriate group from March 1, NMC allowed inoculation of people in 60 years and above age group and those above 45 having comorbidities at GMCH. The move evoked good response from age-appropriate group as around 400 persons were being administered the vaccine at GMCH per day.
The government had sent more doses of Covishield for the district on March 2, but not of Covaxin.
With no further supplies of Covaxin, officials of the state’s public health department (PHD) here had requested Gadchiroli district administration to send 5,000 doses of Covaxin to the NMC as these were lying untilized there. As Gadchiroli administration did not respond, the PHD contacted Wardha authorities for the doses.
NMC chief medical officer Dr Sanjay Chilkar told TOI, “As we have received 5,000 doses of Covaxin from Wardha district, there is no worry.”
Six districts of Vidarbha — Bhandara, Gadchiroli, Wardha, Amravati, Buldhana and Washim are reportedly having sufficient number of Covaxin doses.
TOI had on Tuesday highlighted that NMC was left with doses enough for 1.5 days only.
Good response to vaccination continued in the city with 9,078 persons from age-appropriate group, HCWs and frontline workers (FLWs) taking the jab in city on Tuesday.
Dr Chilkar said, “NMC also received 5,000 doses of Covishield from Nagpur Rural. We were having 14,000 doses of Covishield after the inoculation on Tuesday. There is nothing to worry now as 19,000 Covishield doses and 5,400 of Covaxin are available as on Tuesday night.”
PHD officials said, “We have sent a vehicle to Pune on Tuesday and the doses are likely to arrive on Wednesday. Another lot of doses is also likely by Saturday. Vaccination will not stop due to shortage of doses.”
All 11 districts of Vidarbha had received total 7,97,560 doses till March 2. The government used to deliver the doses. However, for the first time, PHD has sent a vehicle to bring the vaccine from Pune.
On Tuesday, vaccination was done at 58 centres — 18 in NMC and government-run hospitals and 40 in private ones. The NMC has added two more centres in private hospitals taking the total number to 60 for Wednesday.
NMC reportedly did not give vaccine vials as per demand to a few private hospitals on Tuesday, despite advance payment to the government.
Dr Chilkar said, “We are providing vials based on past performance of private hospitals. We cannot allow hoarding of doses. We will ensure there is no shortage of doses at private as well as government hospitals.”