Vax shortage hits inoculation drive in western TN districts

The shortage forced Primary Health Centre’s in Tirupur, Erode and Salem districts to send back people who had come for inoculation and this was happening at a time when the State government urged the Centre to allocate more vaccines to meet the requirement in the wake of a steady surge in cases. The people who came to get vaccinated at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) on Gandhiji Road in Erode were asked to return on Monday. More than 75 people were issued tokens by the staff who claimed they had run out of stock. 

Erode District Collector C Kathiravan, in a statement claimed that the district received 5,000 doses on Friday. “The drive was being carried out continuously for all those who registered,” he said. Similarly, people were sent away by the UPHC at Kumarasamipatti in Salem district. But, Corporation officials claimed that people left even before the arrival of vaccine stock. Denying any such shortage, Deputy Director of Health Services, Salem, S Subramani claimed that the vaccination drive was being carried out smoothly with enough stock in place. “The Salem revenue district received 10,000 doses on Friday,” he said. 

People in Tirupur also came up with similar complaints as they were sent back by PHCs located in Avinashi, Kangeyam, Thayampalayam and Karadivavi areas. Deputy Director of Health Services (Tirupur) K Jagadeesh Kumar agreed that they ran out of stock. “Over 1 lakh vaccines were administered in the last one week alone in the district. Hence, the doses got over and a request has been placed with the State Health Department to replenish the stock. Once vaccines get delivered by Friday evening, it will be sent across to hospitals across the district,” he said.