Covid Vaccine: 2 weeks on, hospitals in Lucknow yet to get vaccine against COVID, Health News, ET HealthWorld

Lucknow: Government hospitals in the city, which had run out of COVID-19 vaccine stock 13 days ago, are still awaiting fresh supplies.

There are total 14 centres in the city – 10 private and four government facilities (SPM Civil Hospital, NK Road Community Health Centre, Lokbandhu Hospital, and Balrampur Hospital) – which are authorised to offer vaccination.

Government hospitals, however, stopped inoculation on January 3 due to vaccine shortage. According to health department officials, on an average, 112 people were being vaccinated daily in government hospitals and 100 in private hospitals till December 23.

After this, there was a sudden jump in vaccination when a spurt in COVID-19 cases was reported in China and other countries. The average number of daily inoculations reached 400 in the last week of December which led to a shortage in government hospitals. On January 3, hospitals ran out of stock.

The state authorities had assured the people that vaccination would restart by January 10 but it did not happen. Shortage of vaccine is also being reported from other districts.

Ramesh Singh, who had gone to SPM Civil Hospital on Monday, returned empty-handed. “I had a kidney transplant a few months ago. Doctors have advised me to get a precaution dose. I have visited the hospital thrice in a week but couldn’t get a jab,” he said.

Geeta from Aliganj and Narendra from City Station visited Balrampur Hospital for vaccination but to no avail. District immunisation officer (DIO) Dr MK Singh said, “We have been informed by the state authorities that fresh supplies have not been received by the Union government which has caused delay. Fresh stock is likely to arrive in 2-3 days.”