In Gzb, dwindling turnout leading to wastage of doses
District health department officials have said they are now taking steps to save the doses
GHAZIABAD: With the dwindling turnout for the vaccination drive against the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease in Ghaziabad resulting in wastage of several unused doses, district health department officials have said they are now “taking steps to save the doses”.
Each vaccine vial contains several doses. Once opened, the doses have to be administered within about four-five hours, after which the medicine, if any left, has to be thrown away.
Since January 16, the officials have administered Covishield and Covaxin doses to beneficiaries in eight rounds in Ghaziabad.
In the district, about 8-9% Covishield vaccines and about 19-20% Covaxin vaccines are being wasted, they said, adding that each vial of Covishield makes up for 10 doses, and a Covaxin vial for 20 doses.
“The wastage is especially due to the low vaccination coverage. We can’t store the leftover doses, we have to dispose of them. Covaxin wastage is higher as a single vial has more doses. We can’t deny vaccination even if there’s only one beneficiary in a room. So, the remaining doses go to waste,” said Ghaziabad chief medical officer (CMO) Dr NK Gupta.
At each centre, each session room has a target of 100 beneficiaries.
The district, according to official records, has received about 49,000 Covishield doses and 14,500 Covaxin doses so far.
Total 18,501 Covishield doses and 3,101 Covaxin doses have been administered to beneficiaries so far in the district, the officials said.
The first six rounds, held on January 16, 22, 28 and 29, February 4 and 5 were for only for healthcare workers. However, 1,037 frontline workers were also included in the drive held February 5. The sessions held February 11 and 12 were only for frontline workers.
“Since the turnout among frontline workers has dipped considerably, as compared to healthcare workers in the previous sessions, due to which the vaccine wastage is likely to increase. Only four or five beneficiaries come to get the shot per session. If the downward trend in vaccination turnout remains so, we will see more wastage,” the chief medical officer added.
To remedy this, the CMO said they are now going to make sure each vial opened is exhausted before the next one is opened.
“We have decided that all the session rooms in a centre will first exhaust one vial by providing doses to all beneficiaries, only after which the second vial will be opened. This will reduce the wastage. We are also trying to increase awareness among frontline workers to improve the turnout,” he said.
The department used Covaxin during two rounds on February 11 and 12.
District magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey did not take calls for a comment on the issue.
HOW THE NUMBERS STACK UP
On Day 1, 94.75% (379 of 400) beneficiaries received vaccine shots. On January 22, the turnout dropped to 81.28% (3,251 of 4,000); it was 71.91% (4,095 of 5,695) on January 28, 72.69% (4,190 of 5,764) on January 29, 70.05% (3,557 of 5,078) on February 4, 63.74% (3,129 of 4,909) on February 5; 45.33% (1,559 of 3439) on February 11; and 39.41% (1,555 of 3,946) on February 12.
At the end of eight vaccination sessions, from January 16 to February 12, the overall coverage in the district stood at 65.35%, with 21,715 beneficiaries out of 33,231 receiving the shots.
The remaining healthcare workers, who were not vaccinated during the previous rounds, will get a chance to receive the shots during the mop-up round on Monday, officials said.
It will cover 62 centres across the district.
“Beneficiaries who took vaccine shots on Day 1 (January 16) should come to the centres for the second dose on Monday, for the mop up round,” Dr Gupta said.