AMC in two minds over procurement of vaccines from private hospital

Aurangabad, July 20:

The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) does not have any vaccine in its store. There are 72,000 citizens, who are waiting to get their second dose of vaccine. On other hand, 38,000 doses of vaccine are lying in the stock of one private hospital. It is ready to give, but the AMC does not want to take any sort of risk and is hesitating to procure the vaccine stock.

As per norms, the citizens are told to take their second dose of vaccine after a gap of 84 days from the first dose. However, due to the shortage of vaccine supply, desirous citizens are unable to get their second dose even after a gap of 125 days. As a result, 400-500 persons used to daily visit their nearest vaccination centres and inquire about the availability of the second dose of vaccine for them.

According to sources, 38 private hospitals of the city has obtained permission from the AMC to the stock vaccine in their storages. Of which, nine hospitals directly purchased the vaccine from the manufacturers. A total of 89,970 vaccines were purchased by private hospitals, out of which, 51,294 doses had been administered and 38,676 vaccines are lying in the stock. One city's big hospital has booked 2 lakh doses of vaccine with the company. It is ready to give vaccines to the AMC, but the AMC is hesitating in procuring the stock from the hospital.

According to health sources, the stock of vaccines has to be stored with care. The vaccines received from the government are used by the AMC on the second day. Hence the stock of vaccines is maintained with utmost safety.