BBMP struggles to meet daily Covid-19 vaccination target due to meagre supplies from Health Dept

Students wait in a queue to receive Covid-19 vaccine doses during a special vaccination drive for the students, who are going abroad for education and employment, in Bengaluru, Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Credit: PTI Photo

Despite having administered more than 30.98 lakh doses in Bengaluru till June 2, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike is unable to meet its daily target of inoculating one lakh citizens due to meagre vaccine supplies from the state Health Department.

On Wednesday, the BBMP administered 86,690 jabs. The corporation is unable to meet the daily target as it is being supplied only around 70,000 doses by the state every day, said Rajendra Cholan, Special Commissioner, Health, BBMP.

"We are distributing at least 200 doses in each of the 198 wards daily (which amounts to 39,600 doses) for the 18-44 age group. For this group, we are getting only 30,000 to 40,000 doses every day. Additionally, we're getting 40,000 doses for the 45+ age group. The vaccines are supplied every alternate day or every day at least 40,000 doses are provided," Cholan added.

Also read: Covid-19: BBMP aims to vaccinate sizeable population in three months

"If the state health department provides more doses, we can step it up further as we have a capacity of inoculating one lakh people. We're short of 30,000 doses every day when compared to our capacity," Cholan said.

The city's vast population of 1.2 crore is another challenge for the BBMP. "The city has around 85 lakh people (as per the 2011 census) in the 18-44 age group alone and 25 lakh population older than 45 years, which is not comparable with other districts. That is why in terms of percentage of vaccination coverage, BBMP's figures may seem low. We have placed an indent for additional doses and the state has promised to consider our request," Cholan said.

Even though vaccination has not been opened to all age groups, especially the 18-44 group, where the government is inoculating only select frontline workers from 22 categories, they amount to eight lakh people. As per the Co-WIN dashboard, it has vaccinated 9,56,226 in this age group.

The target groups include workers of industries like garment, construction, transport and those from the unorganised sector like street vendors. In the 45-60 age group, it has vaccinated 8,70,403, and 6,69,791 in the above-60 age group. This amounts to 24,96,420 people.

As many as 27,42,476 Covishield doses have been administered over 3,56,335 Covaxin doses. To help those due for Covaxin's second dose, the BBMP has made the vaccine available at 27 select primary health centres and government hospitals across eight zones in the city, where walk-in is also permitted, albeit only for those who are due for the second dose.