PUNE: The Union health ministry has refuted the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) claim that as many as 50 lakh Covishield doses of imminent expiry (February-end or early March) are lying unused with private hospitals across the country.
TOI had highlighted the issue in a report published on Thursday (February 3), citing IMA's apprehension that these doses are likely to go waste if preventive measures are not taken in time. The health ministry has already directed state governments to compile data of such doses.
A senior state health department official said, "We are seeking the data of vaccine doses facing imminent expiry from private vaccination centres. Most stock is lying unused in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Panvel, Nashik and Aurangabad. We are awaiting data from private vaccination centres in other districts. Three months ago, the Union health ministry asked us to gather information about this unused stock data from private vaccination sites in the state."
Ministry officials also contacted IMA office-bearers for an update. "The ministry has taken proactive steps. Officials have asked us to send whatever information on unused vaccine doses we have with us. We have started contacting major private vaccination centres that have stock of such doses with early expiry dates," said Dr Sanjay Patil, chairman of IMA's Hospital Board of India.
"It is our initial estimate that around 50lakh doses are lying unused at these private sites. A sizable chunk of doses has February-end or early March expiry dates," said Dr Patil, adding, "Even if we could avoid wastage of a few thousand such doses, it will be a great service as they are limited in the world."
In Pune alone, there are an estimated 3lakh Covishield doses lying unused, Dr Patil said. Nitin Dalvi of NM Wadia Hospital in Pune admitted, "We have 1,600 doses of Covishield with a February-end expiry date. All are likely to go to waste as we do not get footfalls."
Two months ago, Dr Girdhar Gyani, director-general of the Association of Healthcare Providers (India), had claimed that private hospitals are sitting on 10 million unused doses. Despite repeated attempts by TOI, he could not be contacted for comment on Friday.
