Karnataka's ignominious rank: Fourth in India in Covid-19 vaccine wastage

Karnataka, which is among the top states when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination coverage for the health and frontline workers, also features on the top four states list of vaccine wastage. The state is ranked fourth in the nation with a 6.9% wastage of Covid-19 vaccines.

The acceptable rate of vaccine wastage is 10% in routine immunisation programmes owing to vaccine vial breakage or break in the temperature-controlled cold chain.

Karnataka currently has a stock of 37 lakh doses of both brands of the Covid-19 vaccine - Covishield and Covaxin.

Following a video conference with PM Modi, the Health Department held a meeting with private hospitals here instructing them to reduce vaccine wastage.

An immunisation official from the Health Department told DH, “If eight elderly come to a PHC, should you vaccinate or send them back? We have vaccinated 18 lakh-plus people which is half of the doses we have received, which again is a good number.

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The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is providing vials to private hospitals that would last for five days. So the unused vials cannot be taken back as they have already paid for it. Redistribution of vaccine vials to PHCs that are seeing more footfall is possible only in government facilities.”

Dr Y L Rajashekar, secretary, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), who’s part of the meeting told DH, “We’ve been asked to increase the number of vaccination centres and cover more population. Hospitals have been instructed to not open vials till 10 beneficiaries arrive at the vaccination centre. Even now only Ayushman Bharat and CGHS empanelled hospitals are conducting vaccination drive.”

The association has also asked for National Accreditation Board for Hospitals-accredited and DNB (Diplomate of National Board) teaching institutions to act as vaccination centres.

Dr Prasanna H M, president, PHANA, told DH, “I have suggested to increase more private hospitals, including polyclinics, to act as vaccination centres, but they have a shortage of vaccine stock. Currently, it is not possible for all facilities registered under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act (KPME) to act as vaccination centres,” he added.