50 lakhs Covishield doses may get wasted by Feb end? Central govt clarifies

Responding to reports that around 50 lakh covid vaccines may go waste by this month end, the central government has issued a clarification. Labeling the reports as are “vague”, the ministry for health and family welfare said the central government has proactively asked state governments to monitor the expiry date for vaccine doses with them.

It added that the media reports do not have any “specific information on the state wise number of doses that are claimed to be near expiry date”. “In the month of November 2021, it was communicated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that States should regularly review the status of COVID vaccines expected to expire in the coming months, available with Private Hospitals within the States,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added, “States were also advised that no vaccine should be allowed to get expired, both in the Govt. and Private facilities. It was advised that the States may have a quick Video-Conference at the level of Addl. Chief Secretary (Health)/ Principal Secretary (Health) with the private hospitals to look into the utilization of vaccine doses. States were also advised that they could try interventions like administration of vaccine under CSR/ vaccination at subsidized rates in respect of Private Hospitals.”

On the request of a few states, the ministry had clarified that it had no objection to proposed arrangement of transfer of vaccine, on an exceptional basis, from private sector Health Facilities to State Government Health Facilities to avoid vaccine expiry and to ensure that no vaccine dose goes to waste. The provision of entry of these exchanged vaccines is available on the Co-WIN digital platform.

Additionally, discussions have also been held with the states like West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and Delhi to ensure that COVID vaccines available to the Private COVID Vaccination Centres (CVCs) are used.