In a day, Amravati division wastes as much vax as city in a week

Nagpur: The wastage of Covid-19 vaccine doses in Amravati district in a single day is almost equal to one week of wastage in Nagpur city. Still, wastage is below the permissible limit of 10%.

Vaccine is being administered to health care workers at 35 centres situated in five districts of Amravati division.

On January 25, 5,250 doctors, nurses, technicians, attendants etc of government and private hospitals were scheduled for the inoculation in Co-WIN application. The target was to vaccinate 3,500.

Till now, 2,757 health care staff have now taken the jab. Due to lack of 100% turnout, vials comprising 2,940 doses were opened. Thus, 183 doses have gone waste.

As against total utilization, wastage percentage was 6.22%. The state government had permitted wastage up to 10%.

In Nagpur city, 2,527 health care workers were administered the vaccine on seven days between January 16 and 25. Total 2,720 doses were utilized while 193 (7.1%) doses had gone waste.

If one compares the wastage of Nagpur city’s one week with single day of Amravati division, it is more or less the same.

Wastage of 183 doses in a single day totals up to a huge number in seven days of vaccination programme in the division.

Vaccination was 100% at two centres — Wani and Mangrulpir — and wastage was zero on January 25.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Nitin Shinde said, “Wastage of doses should be avoided and can be easily ensured. There will be no wastage if all 100 turn up. After 100, vial should be opened only if 10 health care workers arrive at the centre. Also, it can be minimized by rounding off the number of beneficiaries. Best idea will be to call and inquire about availability of beneficiaries for the day so that proper planning is possible.”

Dental College, Amravati, and the centre at Risod gave the jab to 131 and 111 health care staff respectively. Thus, nine doses were wasted at each centre. Similar was the case at Chikhli, Sultanpur and Risod centres. Vials consisting of 120 doses were opened and vaccine was administered to 112, resulting in wastage of eight doses at Chikhli. At Sultanpur centre, wastage was eight doses as 102 were given the jab.

The same is the condition at some centres where below 100 turned up for the inoculation. For administering dose to one person, nine doses were wasted at four centres on this day — Daryapur (81 of 90 doses), Chandur Railway (91 of 100 doses), Washim district general hospital (71 of 80 doses) and Pandharkawda (61 of 70 doses).

Eight doses were wasted at seven centres.

Deputy director of health services, Amravati division, Dr Rajkumar Chavan said, “Instructions were given from time to time to all centres to minimize wastage of doses. Centres have been clearly directed to continue vaccination only if 10 health care workers arrive after 5pm. Vaccination is being done up to 6pm at some centres in case of delay by health care workers.”