Reason: Vaccine stock of 37,000 doses diverted to vaccinate College students

Mysore/Mysuru: The Government Vaccination Centres that had put up ‘Welcome’ boards to greet people for free vaccination till recently, are now displaying ‘No Stock’ boards. The citizens are not welcomed to the vaccination sites at least till the arrival of fresh stock of vaccine next week.

The reason for non-availability of vaccine for the general public was due to the State Government’s decision to vaccinate the College students on priority in order to re-open Colleges from August.

This morning, Charaka Government Ayurveda Post-Graduate Centre in Brindavan Layout, KRS Road, had put up a ‘No Stock’ board along with the  name of Dr. L. Ravi, Reproductive and Child Health Officer and In-Charge of COVID-19 Vaccination in the Government Hospitals, along with his mobile number. The citizens, above 18 years of age, who wanted to take first dose or the second dose, went home disappointed after seeing ‘No Stock’ board. 

The Government institutions which included Hospitals, Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Taluk Hospitals and Community Health Centres, across the District, have put up ‘No Stock’ boards to dissuade people from flocking these centres. However, vaccination has been going in certain Colleges and Private Hospitals. In fact, the vaccine has been out of stock since yesterday and vaccination has come to a standstill in almost all Centres.

The PHCs and UPHCs situated on Chamaraja Double Road, Bannimantap, Paduvarahalli, Kumbarakoppal, Metagalli, Srirampura, Dattagalli, JP Nagar and Nazarbad, which were attracting large number of people daily, wore a deserted look with no stock of vaccines. A few citizens vented out their ire against the Government for not providing sufficient quantity of vaccine to hold this drive uninterrupted. 

An Officer in Health Department told SOM that the Government institutions have the capacity to vaccinate 25,500 people daily across the district. The vaccine stock of 37,000 doses had been diverted to vaccinate College students as per the directions of the Government. But still the Colleges were facing shortage due to good response from students.

Stock next week?

It is learnt, Karnataka is expecting to receive around 2 lakh to 3 lakh doses on July 2 or 3, of which around 10,000 doses may be allotted to Mysuru. Till then, vaccination will not take place in any of the Government sites.