Covid-19 vaccine scam may have resulted in unused doses: Civic sources

A vaccination drive in progress at a civic school in Abhyudaya Nagar, Kalachowkie

The fake vaccination scam that came to light in June resulted in noticeable crowds in civic centres again and the civic body is wondering if that is what led to the unutilised stock at private hospitals, apart from income disparities. As such, the BMC and state minister Aaditya Thackeray have decided to promote vaccination through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and are encouraging companies and NGOs to come forward.

With around 10 lakh doses lying unused with private hospitals, the BMC will review their expiry dates and prepare updated data of the stock. So far, around 56 lakh people have got the first dose and 18.69 lakh have got both doses.

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A man gets vaccinated at a civic centre in Byculla on July 30. File pics

The BMC plans to focus on recipients of the second dose through its public centres and let CSR initiatives target those who have shied away or have not been able to afford vaccination at private centres.

Small centres closing

With the State yet to get doses from the Centre, the BMC is struggling to get enough vaccines for the city and the citizens are left in a lurch. Amid the shortage, smaller vaccination centres are shutting down soon after being inaugurated. Big civic hospitals are again seeing crowds similar to when the drive had started early this year.

Many hesistant

Civic sources said that the fake vaccination scam is also discouraging citizens from participating in free vaccination camps conducted at several places. While Aaditya Thackeray had organised two free camps in his constituency, Dharavi saw a private firm organising a free vaccination drive. But when smaller NGOs are reaching out to slums, not many are willing to participate and thus no drives are held, revealed sources.

A senior civic official said, "We are yet to see many people participating in such drives and the longer crowds outside public centres are evident. We noticed this after the fake vaccine scam. Hence we are promoting CSR initiatives so that a maximum number of people are inoculated before the third wave."

56 L
No. of people jabbed with first dose in city so far