2.40 lakh dosages of Covishield vaccines unused in private hospitals
Thiruvananthapuram: There are 2.40 lakh dosages of Covishield vaccines unused in private hospitals in the state. This includes vaccines distributed by the state government through the Medical Services Corporation. Despite calls to take back the vaccines, the state government and the manufacturer, Serum Institute of India, have not taken any action.
Since the Covishield has a validity period of only six months, they wil be destroyed most probably. Covaxin is also kept unused in private hospitals. The state government also has sufficient stock of vaccines. The 2.40 lakh dosage of Covishield vaccines is there in the Kerala Private Hospitals Association’s 50 private hospitals. A vial of ten doses of the vaccine costs Rs 6300.
During the Covid outbreak, around thousand doses of vaccine per day was distributed to private hospitals. Now it has dropped to less than a hundred and the availability of jabs in government hospitals increased. The health department is of the view that the central government may soon take a decision to vaccinate those under 18 years of age and therefore the vaccine need not be taken back.
Covishield Collection in Private Hospitals (District wise)
- Thiruvananthapuram - 9150 doses
- Pathanamthitta - 6400
- Kollam - 460
- Idukki - 4500
- Kannur - 3000
- Kasargod - 4930
- Kottayam - 22,000
- Kozhikode - 20,760
- Ernakulam - 1,26,600
- Malappuram - 80
- Palakkad - 7060
- Thrissur - 31,680
- Wayanad - 2500
- Alappuzha - 1040
- Total - 2,40,160