JOIN USHospitals: Sorry, no vaccine. Try later
Metrolife reporters called several hospitals across Bengaluru on Thursday, asking if they are open for vaccination. Here is what they said:
Victoria Hospital, Kalasipalyam
“We are currently vaccinating just our hospital staff. Once we have enough stocks, we will move to the general public.”
BMCRI Super Speciality Hospital, Tharagupet
“After we were converted into a Covid hospital, we stopped vaccinating the general public. Please try other government hospitals.”
BBMP Primary Health Centre, Kamakshipalya
“Stocks are available, but we are only vaccinating people above 45. The rest of them will have to wait till June 25 for an update.”
Vikram Hospital, Cunningham Road
“Covishield is available. It is the government that makes slots available. We are not facing any vaccine shortage.”
Mallya Hospital, Ashok Nagar
“Vaccinations have stopped. We don’t have stocks till next week.”
ESI Hospital, Indiranagar
“We are only vaccinating people above 45. To vaccinate others, we have not received any order from the government yet.”
Sagar Hospital, Jayanagar
“Please try other hospitals. We have stopped vaccinations as we have no stocks.”
ESIC Model Hospital, Peenya
“No, we are not vaccinating people. BBMP took the headcount and provided stocks just for the staff. In fact, some of us are getting our second doses from outside because of the shortage.”
Mallige Hospital, Gandhi Nagar
“Covishield is available, but currently, slots are full. Try tomorrow after 9 am, slots should be available.”
Sanjeevini Hospital, Mahalakshmi Layout
“We have not received stocks, so vaccinations have stopped.”
No communication
Dr Nagaraj, managing director, Srinivasa Speciality Hospital, says his vaccine licence application was rejected because of the size of the hospital. “The government ensured that my 30-bed hospital took in Covid patients earlier, but now, suddenly my hospital is not suitable for vaccination. How is that fair?” he questions. There is no formal communication on vaccine availability, distribution and categorisation and only pan-India hospital chains are able to negotiate for supplies, he says.
Smaller hospitals say vaccine is hard to get
The government stopped supplying vaccines to private hospitals on May 1, and many small to mid-level private hospitals are clueless about procurement, says Dr Prasanna, president of The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association. That is the reason many have stopped vaccinations or put them on hold, he told Metrolife. “Manufacturers usually have vendors in each city and we write to them for vaccine restocking. Now, we have to approach the manufacturers directly and in 90 per cent cases, we don’t even hear back from them,” he says. Small hospitals and clinics are asked to buy more than they need, and that is another problem. “Only large-chain hospitals and those with political backing are able to secure stocks,” he says. Dr Pradeep S J, medical director at Kanva Sri Sai Hospital, says the government took back vials when the government opened up vaccination for everyone above 18. “I had to return the stocks to the BBMP office,” he explains. Manufacturers ask hospitals to buy stocks worth Rs 2 crore. “We don’t have the wherewithal for that,” he says.
(With inputs from Asra Mavad)