Free COVID vaccines : Pune based private hospitals consider free jabs to prevent wastage

Pune: Pune based private hospitals are considering to provide free vaccination drive in order to prevent wastage as many major hospitals are left with a many soon-to-expire vaccines. 

Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar, the principal director of Symbiosis University Hospital & Research Centre said that in their three centres, they have little less than 40,000 covishield doses which are set to expire by March 5. She stated, "We will wait till February 20 to see if doses used up during paid drives. After that we are considering free jabs.

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The doctor said that providing free doses is much better than wastage, as per a media report in the Times of India.         . 

"In the absence of central guidelines on what should be done with unused stock, it's only common sense to take this route," said Dr. Dhananjay Kelkar, the medical director of Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital.

The vaccinator Dr. Rajesh Auti, of SM Joshi Hospital, Khadki said, "If we don't get an expiry date extension from the vaccine companies or a requisite suggestion from the Centre, there's no option but to give out doses for free."

Sanjay Deshmukh, assistant director (health), Pune circle told TOI, "We can't buy or take unused stock from private sites as we do not know if cold chain has been maintained for doses nearing expiry. But we can have collaborative camps with private hospitals willing to give unused doses for free to the public. "

Occupying the lower slopes of a hill within Symbiosis International University's 260-acre estate in Lavale, Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC) is a 41,800-square-metre, 216-bed, multi-specialty hospital that represents a new and progressive face for healthcare infrastructure in India. 

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