Covid vax stopped in the area; health department mum

Nagpur: President of All India Majlis-e-Ithehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), West Nagpur, Zafar Solanki has checked various Coronavirus vaccination centers from Zingabai Takli to Khaparkheda – outside the city limits – But in the last fortnight not a single Coveshield dose was available at all.

Zolanki had mobilized many beneficiaries for the vaccination camp organized by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in this part of the city. Many such beneficiaries are still harassing Zafar Solanki for another booster dose, which he absolutely needs to go out of the country.

For the last almost seven days, NMC has not been able to offer CovidShield or Corbevax vaccine at all as the stock is completely exhausted. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has the largest eligible population for Coronavirus vaccination in Vidarbha.

The same campaign has also been stopped in Gondia, which comes under the Nagpur circle of the health department. Health officials of Gondia also said that the problem is in the entire state. Similarly, doses of these vaccines used for booster shots are also out of stock in Buldhana.

NMC officials also said that many requests and reminders have not elicited any response from the state health department.

Dr. Tarangthushar Warey, Deputy Director of Health Services (DDHS), Akola Circle, also said that she was on tour and did not have the COVID vaccine stock availability data at all.

Covishield was also available in two private hospitals in Nagpur

Although there is an adequate dosage of Covaxin in districts, its intake is few. Amidst the decline in the number of second and third-dose takers were the beneficiaries helping to propel the campaign.

“Foreign beneficiaries are now taking Covaxin as it is readily available. Many of them took their first dose of Covishield three months ago. Now they are forced to change the vaccine so that they do not miss their flight. People who took both doses of CovaShield more than six months ago must also now take both doses of Covaxin to carry the certificate with them. Some of them are going on pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.” Zafar Solanki said.

Since it has absolutely no buyers, Nagpur Municipal Corporation also returned 30,000 Covaxin doses which were expiring in the month of December-January. About 3,000 doses had to be retained to cover about 100 daily walk-in beneficiaries.

Covishield was also available in two private hospitals in Nagpur but less than 20 people have been vaccinated.

NMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Ram Joshi has also said that there are lakhs of beneficiaries for the second and third doses of Kovishield in the city.

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