West Bengal: Massive rush at vax centres on last day before supply to private hospitals stops

KOLKATA: As private hospitals conducted its inoculation drive for the last day on Friday till the new supply chain is established, the facilities witnessed a huge rush, with queues extending along the entire stretch of the roads outside. Many hospitals extended the vaccination schedule so that they could accommodate as many recipients as possible. Even the government centres saw a massive turnout with many fearing the entire private-hospital crowd would shift to state-run units from Saturday.
The “last-day” rush was also due to the fact that the price of vaccines, which was capped at Rs 250 a dose at private facilities, was due to go up from Saturday.
“I had to wait for close to three hours but managed to get my second dose. It was a long wait but I was lucky that I got my turn,” said Rina Das, a Beliaghata resident.
Many who had turned up for their first dose of vaccination had to return without getting the shot. Several centres witnessed chaos as in spite of people queueing up since morning, they were told that priority would be given to those waiting for their second dose. “Our vaccination drive is usually held till around 6.30pm but we had to continue till 8.45pm on Friday so that we could accommodate all those who had come for their second doses. But still, we had to send back a few people who needed their first dose,” said an official at a private vaccination centre. “We vaccinated around 550 people a day in past trhree days. But on Friday, we administered the doses on 800 recipients,” said R Venkatesh, zonal director (east), Narayana Health, of which RN Tagore Hospital is a part.
“Friday was the last day when all private hospitals, including AMRI, got supply of vaccines through the state health department. We have come to know that those who received their first dose at private hospitals will also be able to get their second doses from government healthcare facilities,” said Rupak Barua, Group CEO, AMRI Hospitals. Two units of AMRI Dhakuria could inoculate 1,152 recipients, mostly those getting their second doses. The scene of rush was similar at Peerless Hospital. “There was a huge rush and we had to carry on the drive till 7pm to accommodate all the 578 people who had come,” said Sudipta Mitra, CEO, Peerless Hospital.