`No vaccines available': Telangana govt puts off inoculation for 18 plus
The state currently has 29,663 doses available and 3 lakh more doses are in pipeline.
By Sumit Jha Published on 29 April 2021 5:57 AM GMT
Hyderabad: People in the age group of 18 and above could not schedule their vaccination as no slots were available for the next few weeks in Telangana.
Telangana government has not announced vaccination dates for people above 18 and above.
Telangana Director of Public Health Dr. G Srinivasa Rao on Wednesday said the standard procedure regarding vaccination for that particular age group will be out after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reviews the situation in the coming two days.
Scarcity of vaccine
As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's data, Telangana has been provided 45,96,700 lakh doses of vaccine and it has utilized 44,67,037 doses including 0.52 percent of wastage. The state currently has 29,663 doses available and 3 lakh more doses are in pipeline.
Dr. G Srinivasa Rao said the state has ramped up vaccination drive, it needs more doses now.
People above group 45, who have received the first dose of vaccine, are struggling to get the second dose. Many of the private vaccination centers are not able to provide the second dose as they don't have the vaccine available. Many of these citizens have jumped the second dose deadline. As per the government, the state has vaccinated 40 percent of the population above the age group of 45.
Speaking to NewsMeter, an official of a private the hospital said they have not received any vaccine for the last two days.
As the state faces a scarcity of vaccines, the government said they are going to give priority to people above 45 years who are due for a second dose.
"We are giving priority to the people whose second dose is due," said G Srinivasa Rao. "I am not the person who manufactures vaccines. The government of India and the company have to supply. There is an imbalance between supply and demand," said G Srinivasa Rao.
The conundrum of vaccinating 18 plus
The government has yet to announce the dates when they are going to vaccinate people above 18 years. "We are putting in our best efforts. We have placed the request to all the three companies which are manufacturing vaccines in India," said G Srinivasa Rao.
Meanwhile, vaccination centers run by private hospitals are looking for clear guidelines from the state government on procuring the doses. The government has said that they will not provide vaccines to private hospitals.
Due to huge demand, vaccine manufacturers are not able to supply doses to private hospitals in Telangana. "We are looking for the guidelines from the state government," said a private hospital official.
The vaccination drive
Dr. G Srinivasa Rao said that the state has the capacity to vaccinate around ten lakh citizens a day. The state has administered around 43,98,489 doses so far.
According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Telangana has a total population of 3,75,99,000.
The state is targeting two crore population. They are analyzing Co-WIN registration data so that they can place orders accordingly. "When you register, we will get to know how many of you are eager to take vaccines. It is our responsibility to give vaccines to whoever is eligible," said Dr. G Srinivasa Rao.
