Nagpur: Covid-19
vaccine doses enough for 51 people have reportedly gone waste in the district on Day 1 of the
vaccination programme largely as all the selected healthcare workers did not turn up. The wastage — 6.14% — is, however, less than the prescribed limit of 10%.
In
Amravati district, which is the second-biggest city in
Vidarbha after Nagpur, the wastage was much less as of the selected 500 healthcare workers, 440 (88%) turned up. Also, with
Co-WIN not functioning, healthcare workers who were available and willing got vaccinations. Only 10 (2.22%) doses went waste as vaccine from 45 vials were used.
The state government had permitted 12 vaccination centres in Nagpur district of which five were in city and seven in rural. Each centre was to vaccinate 100 healthcare workers every day.
779 (64.91%) of the selected 1,200 district healthcare workers turned up between 10.45am and 5pm for the jab. The turnout was low in city as 270 (54%) of the 500 doctors, nurses, ASHA workers, technicians, attendants who were selected for Day-1 and also received messages and calls, did not turn up. In Nagpur rural, 509 (72.71%) of 700 came for the vaccination. 20 doses (6.9%) in city and 31 (5.74%) in rural were wasted.
Each vial of
Covishield contains 5ml of vaccine and each beneficiary was to be injected 0.5ml for a total of 10 doses. Covaxin’s vial comprises of 10ml which means 20 doses. Therefore, chances of wastage in Covaxin are higher. All doses in a vial have to be consumed within 4-6 hours after breaking it open. They cannot be stored for a second day.
At Daga Maternity Hospital, 53 turned up for which six vials were opened. It caused a loss of seven doses.
Technical snag in Co-WIN application is another reason for the wastage.
Beneficiearies did not get a slot allotted but were called randomly between 9am and 5 pm.
Municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI that measures are being taken to “avoid refusals which would reduce wastage”. “We will improve information, education and communication (IEC) so that vaccine is given to potential beneficiaries only,” he said.
NMC additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi said that the civic body is seeking approval from the government to administer vaccine to registered healthcare workers who are scheduled for the following day in case someone does not turn up on the given day. “As per existing guidelines, we have to administer vaccine to only the healthcare worker scheduled for the day,” he said.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr Nitin Shinde told TOI that wastage is expected “but should be avoided considering the present situation”. “The crisis calls for speedy vaccination. The number of people being hospitalized has gone down drastically in countries where vaccination is going on,” he said.
Dr Shinde felt that healthcare workers should be contacted first to know their willingness and availability, and then selected for a particular day. “It will also ensure that the needy is being vaccinated. With better planning, 421 more needy health care workers could have been covered on day 1,” he added.
In Nagpur district, 34,333 healthcare workers are registered for phase-I of the vaccination. The vaccination programme will resume on Tuesday. The healthcare workers who failed to run up on day 1 will get a chance only after the others are vaccinated.
NMC officials said that vaccination will resume at five centres “as we cannot increase till further orders from the government. We had planned 60 centres”.
Earlier, the NMC had planned the
Covid vaccination programme on four days week with regular immunization on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Sunday was to be a rest day. “The five existing centres are hospitals and do not carry out immunization programmes. By increasing the number of days, more beneficiaries will be covered,” said NMC sources.