Amid surge in cases, hospitals face shortage of Covid vaccines

April 10, 2021
New Delhi: Amid exponential increase in coronavirus cases in Delhi and adjoining cities like Noida and Ghaziabad for the last few weeks, several healthcare centres, especially private hospitals, have complained about a shortage of vaccines.

For instance, the Max Super Specialty Hospital in Vaishali, Ghaziabad, has been facing a shortage of vaccine for around three days. An official spokesperson of Max Super Specialty Hospital group said new registrations for vaccination have been stopped for the last three days. However, the Max hospital administration also claimed that the shortage of vaccination is in Max Vaishali and not in Patparganj in East Delhi.

“We have some shortage of vaccines at our Vaishali centre and the new registration for vaccination has been put on hold for the last couple of days. However, in our Patparganj centre, we have stocks for three days. We are vaccinating 200-250 people per day at Patparganj,” a spokesperson of Max Group said.

Prateek Baijal, a resident of Noida, told IANS that his 70-year-old mother was given time for a vaccination shot for April 9 at Geo Hospital in Noida sector 62. However, her mother had to return without receiving a vaccination shot.

“I had registered through the Cowin App. However, when we reached there on Friday, we were told that there is a vaccination shortage. They said that they would call back once the vaccines are available in the hospital. After that I went to Kailash Hospital in Noida, Sector 27 and there too, we were told about the shortage of vaccines,” Baijal said while confirming the booking.

Ajay Tyagi, chairman of Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital in Greater Noida, said, “Right now we have a shortage of vaccines but they will be available from Monday.”

People also complained about shortage of vaccines at a government-run hospital in Greater Noida. However, when contacted, Sachin Mishra, a senior doctor at a primary health care centre in Greater Noida said, “We have no shortage of vaccines.” When told that people have complained of a shortage of vaccines, Mishra replied, “Vaccination was stopped today (April 10), but it will start from Sunday.”
IANS