JAIPUR: The state, which at one point of time, was among the top five states in Covid vaccination, seems to have lost steam. As a result, the state has slipped to 15th position in Covid vaccination. In one month from March 18 to April 18, the number of doses administered to the beneficiaries was just around 32 lakh.
The paid booster doses too failed to take off in the state. The elderlies are showing no enthusiasm in the booster doses, as just 14.6% of the 60+ population have received booster doses. Not even half the eligible healthcare and frontline workers have received booster doses.
On March 19, the available doses in the state were 42 lakh and it has now been increased to 116 lakh. Since, the third wave has almost vanished, people are not taking their due doses compared to earlier doses. There was a time when the state had to repeatedly ask the Centre to send the doses claiming that it lacked stock, but now the stock is also increasing in the state as 116 lakh doses are available with the state.
“We are constantly making people aware about the importance of Covid vaccination to avoid the fourth wave. For scaling up the vaccination, we have set up our vaccination centres at health fairs, which have started in the state from Monday and will continue till April 30,” said Dr Raghuraj Singh, project director (vaccination), state.
The health department officials said that the vaccination has gone down as people have become fearless of Covid. When the third wave started emerging, people fearing Covid started reaching vaccination centres in increased numbers.
Besides, the paid booster dose vaccination in private hospitals in the state has not taken off on an encouraging note. From April 10, the paid booster doses vaccination for 18 to 59 years was started but in nine days, just 1834 beneficiaries have received the vaccination.
“Only few private hospitals are providing booster doses to the 18 -59 years category. The private hospitals had procured the doses at high rates and since the rates have reduced, how they can vaccinate in losses. Also, people are not coming for vaccination. Once the vial is open all the 10 doses in it should be used within 4 hours before it gets spoiled. If 3-4 beneficiaries are coming in four hours, remaining doses will get wasted, causing losses,” said Dr Vijay Kapoor, secretary, private hospitals and nursing homes society.
