KOLKATA: The Bengal government on Monday stepped in to provide 50,000 auto-disable syringes to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to continue with its vaccination drive. According to KMC, with this stock, the drive in its 144 vaccination clinics and 50 mega centres will continue without any disruption till Thursday.
The depleting stocks had prompted the state to give KMC a one-time nod to purchase these syringes from open market which the state will reimburse later. The state Bengal government has also set aside Rs 1 crore for the syringes which costs Rs 5 per piece. It has also asked the Centre to provide 20 lakh syringes.
“Arrival of fresh syringe stock from the state is a huge relief. This will enable us to run our vaccination clinics and mega centres for the next three days,” said a KMC health department senior official. The officials on Sunday expressed anxiety over depleting stock of AD syringes. The matter was taken up with the state health department and following intervention by health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam, the KMC was assured of supply of 50,000 syringes.
In the market, too, there is a shortage of auto-disable syringes in the city. Distributors said that it will take nearly three days for them to cater to any bulk demand.
There are two-three private companies outside Bengal that specialise in supplying these syringes that are required for Covid-19 and other vaccinations. “While they have been supplying on a regular basis, the spurt in demand is sudden,” said Sajal Ganguly, secretary of the Bengal Chemist and Druggists Association.
“While there are a few local firms, most of the reputable onesare located outside Bengal,” said Subhasis Gupta, a sub-distributor of auto-disable syringes in Kolkata.
Rajendra Khandelwal of pharmacy chain Dhanwantary said it would take around three days for the stock to reach after the government places an order.
