KOLKATA: Step medicine centers regulators to extend the shelf life of six months Covaxin will help private hospital waste ignorant town of a few thousand doses of vaccine customary Covid set to expire during the next eight weeks.
The vaccine, which was finally approved by the emergency use of the WHO last week, has been very slow off-take in recent months left the hospital with a large inventory of them struggled to use up.
Pitching WHO will now allow Indian vaccine for travel to countries where it has so far not recognized and expected that all shares boost demand AMRI Hospital of 4,800 doses that ended in November, while 500 doses with Peerless Hospital set to end on early December.
7,000 doses of the Woodlands Hospital, also, to expire.
This apart, many other private vaccine centers are left with unused Covaxin lakh bottles worth of rupees.
“We have started to discuss how to save the Covaxin shares in private CVCs, which ends in November.
Extension is a relief to us as well as private centers, “said a health official.
Bengal government on Monday has about 14 lakh Covaxin dose in stores while an additional 10 lakh doses to arrive on Tuesday.
Over the past few days, the vaccine was used only on the second dose.
“Because we’ve got a fresh stock, we will begin offering the first dose Covaxin to recipients in government-run CVCs.
All districts have been told, “said Ashim Das Malakar, the state family welfare officers.
Of the total 8.13 crore Covid vaccine doses given in Bengal so far, only a little over 88 lakh has been Covaxin.
Besides that is not recognized by the WHO until last week, the supply of the vaccine, too, has been slow and erratic, government officials said.
Peerless Hospital saddled with 500 doses Covaxin but daily use has been less than 10 for several months.
Often, it has been zero.
“Stocks Covaxin we will end this month and we stared.
DCGI decision will allow to use up all the shares because we expect an increase in demand over the next few months.
Not only has Covaxin has been recognized by the WHO, the third booster dose now seems imminent which would see a surge in demand for the vaccine, “said CEO Sudipta Peerless Hospital Partners.
The AMRI Hospital was left with 4,800 doses of Covaxin worth Rs 50 lakh.
“This extension comes as a relief because we will now be able to use at least a majority of the shares.
But it still can be difficult to use all of the shares unless the government began to vaccinate under-18 receiver.
Covaxin still has very few takers for it is more expensive than Covishield, “said AMRI CEO Rupak Barua.
Some hospitals like Medica Superspecialty and RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS) have exhausted their Covaxin shares and has decided to not procuring more until demand increases.
“We have a few remaining bottles must now be used.
But we have no plans to acquire more, “said Alok Roy Medica chairman.