Low supply of doses hits inoculation in Bathinda district

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 27

The shortage of doses has derailed the vaccination drive in the district. As per the health department, so far only 25 per cent people have been given the first dose of vaccine, while only 5.9 per cent the second one in the district.

As per record, 2,51,483 persons have been given the first dose and 59,099 the second out of around 10 lakh people, who have to be vaccinated.

The drive has come to a halt as the district ran out of stocks. Nobody was inoculated at the district hospital today. An official said the department had not received the fresh consignment, so they had to stop the drive. “The existing stock has been exhausted and we are awaiting fresh consignment. As soon as it reaches Fazilka, we will resume the process,” he added.

NGO Naujawan Welfare Society president Sonu Maheshwari said: “We are facing a huge problem as earlier we motivated residents to come out to get jabbed by announcing gifts and creating awareness, but now when they have started coming out, we don’t have vaccine.”

He said the stocks were limited but the number of people who wanted to get vaccinated was huge, which usually led to heated arguments many times. “Due to this many NGOs have even refused to hold camps,” he said.

Teachers, employees of banks and other sectors are reportedly facing problems as they have to be vaccinated before rejoining work, but vaccines are not available. Civil Surgeon Dr Tejwant Singh Dhillon said: “The pace of vaccination is slow as the supply is less. Whatever stocks we get from the state, we use it. In total, 3.10 lakh doses have been given to people so far in the district.”