MUMBAI: The first day of vaccination for pregnant women in Mumbai saw a tepid response. Merely 10 expecting mothers came out to take the vaccine on Thursday, underlining the need for greater awareness about the risks and benefits of vaccination.
State authorities, meanwhile, said they have received 9 lakh vaccine doses which should sustain the drive for 2-3 days. Public health minister Rajesh Tope again demanded 3 crore doses for the state every month.
Free vaccination for pregnant women is being offered at 36 designated centres in the city, including medical colleges, peripheral hospitals and maternity homes, that routinely offer antenatal services. Many of these centres got a lot of queries from pregnant women and their families, although few agreed to actually take the shot. An estimated 1.5 lakh pregnant women in the city are eligible for vaccination. Of the 10 who got vaccinated on Thursday, eight got vaccinated in public and two inprivate centres. In all, 18 pregnant women have got vaccinated in the last two days. Eight women took the vaccine at private centres on Wednesday.
Dr Vidya Thakur, medical superintendent of Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, said that only one woman took the vaccine at the centre. “Our antenatal staff will start counselling pregnant women when they come for regular follow-ups. With counselling and awareness, we believe the numbers will rise eventually,” she said. The hospital has created a separate queue for pregnant women and will also facilitate walk-ins, said Dr Thakur.
Many women dropped in to enquire about the vaccine but left without taking the shot at Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivli, said its medical superintendent Dr Pratibha Patil. “We will start counselling those registered in our hospital for delivery,” she said. In 2015, when free influenza vaccination was introduced for pregnant women in Maharashtra, a similar hesitancy was seen initially but things improved as word spread, said Dr Lalit Sankhe, nodal officer of vaccination at JJ Hospital. “Mothers are naturally anxious for their unborn child, but those in second and third trimesters may be more willing,” he added. Civic officials said doctors and nurses from gynaecology departments have been trained to counsel pregnant women.
Over 66,421 people took the vaccine in the city on Thursday. Vaccination at the free centres would be carried out at regular hours on Friday starting from 9 am to 5 pm.
