BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara
Palike
’s goal to vaccinate 30 lakh people in 30 days may be a distant dream, given the current shortage of
doses
dogging Bengaluru city.
When BBMP officials administered more than 1.7 lakh doses on June 21 – International Yoga Day – the administration believed 30 lakhs in 30 days was an imminently achievable target. However, supply of doses dried up and now boards claiming, ‘no vaccine available’ and ‘no stock’ are a common sight on doors and gates of primary health centres.
Gaurav Gupta, BBMP chief commissioner, told reporters that the Palike has the resources to vaccinate a minimum 1.5 lakh people a day, but only 40,000 doses are being administered due to erratic supply. The drop in supply also comes at a time when BBMP is administering doses to college students at special camps across the city. On Saturday, BBMP plans to vaccinate at least 50,000 college students.
Randeep
D, special commissioner (health), BBMP, admitted that vaccine supply has reduced but insisted many people have been covered. “We distribute at least 100 doses to each of the 198 wards. This is besides supply to 146 PHCs. PHCs which cover more than one ward get more doses. We have allowed PHCs to share between themselves since it helps us focus on areas where coverage is very low. We received one lakh doses on Thursday. The demand for the vaccine has also increased. There are more people coming out to get vaccinated,” Randeep said.
A senior health official said the camps organised for college-going students will impact jabs at PHCs as it comes down to a question of resources. He said at least 50 staffers need to be at these camps to administer the vaccine as the government wants to reopen colleges soon.
With lockdown restrictions being lifted in phases, the inflow of the migrant population into the city has increased over the past couple of weeks and the numbers are only expected to go up. While the demand for vaccines is certain to increase, the government must address the issue of inadequate supply, the official said.