Mumbai: The private sector in Maharashtra has provided 15% of the covid-19 vaccine dose given so far.
However, most paid vaccinations are limited to three main urban districts – Mumbai, Pune and Thane – who jointly accounted for 85% of private immunization in the state.
And in the private sector, stocks lean towards a larger hospital chain with more purchasing power.
According to BMC numbers, private hospitals in Mumbai have a dose of 98lakh (65 lakh covishield and 33 lakh covaxin), as on September 14.
HN Reliance HN at Charni Road holds nearly 70% of it, including 40LEkh Dosage of Covishield and 29SH Dosage Covaxin, officials said to Ti.
The Godrej hospital in Vikhroli has 3 doses of Lakh, Jaslok and Nanavati, each of which has 2.5 lakh, Apollo and Surya in Santacruz has almost 1LAKH.
About 170 strange hospitals barely have stock of several thousand doses to be less than lakh.
Of the seven crore vaccinations in Maharashtra, 1.03krore doses were given in the private sector on September 13.
But almost two-thirds of 36 districts do not see paid vaccinations.
And among those who did it, Mumbai (43lakh), Pune (27 lakh) and Thane (17 lakh) had a lion.
Among others, Raigad vaccinated 3.34 lakh, Aurangabad (2.41 lakh), Nagpur (1.46 lakh), kolhapur (1.07 lakh).
An official said the district that had reached higher coverage had the advantage of private vaccination.
Mumbai where at least 80% of adult populations are immunized with at least one dose having more than 43% of doses given in the private sector.
District with the lowest coverage such as Nanded (30%), Hingoli (33%) and Nandurrar (36%) did not see paid vaccination.
The additional Commissioner of Suresh Kakani said BMC had carried out 10 lakh vaccinations through CSR facilitated by a private hospital.
HN Reliance has donated a maximum dose of five lakh, followed by Godrej and Jaslok with one lakh respectively.
Surana has also given a dose of almost 1lakh under CSR, while Cipla has contributed 50,000.
Reliance spokesman said the hospital had launched free vaccination for all their employees and their families and “enhanced throughout the country” through free vaccination drives, adding Mumbai stocks to reflect overall procurement.
Dr.
Ravi Duggal, a community health researcher, who is critical of the paid vaccination policy, said the government must partner with the private sector to manage the dose without letting them buy shares.
“Vaccines available with private hospitals must be used under the public vaccination program with the government restore vaccine costs.
Vaccine demand increases …
so anything available with the private sector must be added to the public kitty,” he said.
However, a hospital head, justified bulk purchases that say they have corporate bonds to provide second and reasonable doses to get a large volume at a time.
“It’s also easier for producers to be delivered,” he said.