<p>On Friday, BBMP officials took all vaccine stocks back from private hospitals, citing a new government policy.</p>.<p>Private hospitals have to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers from May 1.</p>.<p>Those between 18 and 44 years were also supposed to be eligible for the jab in this phase, which began on that day.(See below)</p>.<p>Metrolife called many hospitals for a reality check. </p>.<p><strong><span class="bold">‘Come back later’</span></strong></p>.<p>Vikram Hospital, Millers Road, says the vaccination effort was on pause. “Call back after May 7,” a hospital representative said when we called on May 3. Over two days, Metrolife called several other hospitals.</p>.<p>Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, New BEL Road, Suguna Hospital, Rajajinagar, and People Tree, Yeswanthpur, and Mallige Hospital, Gandhi Na- gar, said they had no vaccines, and no information on when they might get their supplies. Mallya Hospital, Ashok Nagar, expects stocks by May 15, while Shifaa Hospital, Queens Road, has stopped the drive to comply with the new government order. </p>.<p>“We have given a requisition for a new consignment. We are waiting,” says Dr Shashidhar B D of Republic Hospital, Langford Gardens.</p>.<p>Dr Nagaraj Puttaswamy of Punya Hospital, A D Halli, says the government is doing a good job when it comes to vaccination, but it took the decision to open it up for the 18-44 age group without considering the number of people against the number of vaccines available.</p>.<p>“On April 30, we only had five vials, but a queue of 200 people. They had booked slots on the portal because slots were available, and we had to send them back,” he says. The next day too the hospital saw a huge crowd.</p>.<p>Frontline workers in the 18-44 age bracket can get jabs from government centres. Private hospitals are complaining they were caught by surprise by the announcement.</p>.<p>“If we had known about this policy in advance, we would have had a vendor in place. There is no clarity in the communication. They could have provided us with a list of manufacturers to contact,” a doctor at a private hospital says. </p>.<p>Dr H M Prasanna, president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), says the change in policy has completely halted the private sector vaccination drive.</p>.<p>“As numbers keep increasing, the need of the hour is to vaccinate as many people as possible, and private hospitals are integral to the process. The announcement was sudden and none of the hospitals, except Apollo and Manipal, were ready to deal with the situation. Even they had small quantities in stock,” he says.</p>.<p>He says the differential pricing for private hospitals — they pay Rs 600 for a dose of Covishield and Rs 1,200 for Covaxin — may be a hurdle to mass vaccination.</p>.<p>“Why should private hospitals pay so much? We are not trying to drive up our profits through the vaccines,” he says.</p>.<p>Currently, private hospitals are directing people to government primary health centres.</p>.<p>“PHANA is trying to find vendors so that we can buy in bulk and supply to our members,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Couple who made it</strong></p>.<p>Gitanjali Chitnis, 31 and her husband, 34, are among the few who have managed to get the jab. They got inoculated at Apollo Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, on May 4 after making an appointment the previous day. Volunteer-run Twitter and Telegram alerts notify people when slots open up on the Cowin portal.</p>.<p>She relied on @BloreVaccine on Twitter. “You have to be quick, there is no way around it,” she writes. “Double mask and carry a sanitiser.”</p>.<p><strong>‘Waiting for consignment’</strong></p>.<p>BBMP Chief Health Officer (Public Health) Dr BK Vijayendra says “We are expecting a consignment. Once that comes in people between the 18 to 44 age bracket can also get immunised. Right now we only have enough to vaccinate those receiving their second dose and those above 45 years,” he says. According to the Co-Win portal, 2.79 lakh people have been vaccinated so far in Bengaluru, which amounts to only 2.18 per cent of the city’s population.</p>
<p>On Friday, BBMP officials took all vaccine stocks back from private hospitals, citing a new government policy.</p>.<p>Private hospitals have to procure vaccines directly from the manufacturers from May 1.</p>.<p>Those between 18 and 44 years were also supposed to be eligible for the jab in this phase, which began on that day.(See below)</p>.<p>Metrolife called many hospitals for a reality check. </p>.<p><strong><span class="bold">‘Come back later’</span></strong></p>.<p>Vikram Hospital, Millers Road, says the vaccination effort was on pause. “Call back after May 7,” a hospital representative said when we called on May 3. Over two days, Metrolife called several other hospitals.</p>.<p>Ramaiah Memorial Hospital, New BEL Road, Suguna Hospital, Rajajinagar, and People Tree, Yeswanthpur, and Mallige Hospital, Gandhi Na- gar, said they had no vaccines, and no information on when they might get their supplies. Mallya Hospital, Ashok Nagar, expects stocks by May 15, while Shifaa Hospital, Queens Road, has stopped the drive to comply with the new government order. </p>.<p>“We have given a requisition for a new consignment. We are waiting,” says Dr Shashidhar B D of Republic Hospital, Langford Gardens.</p>.<p>Dr Nagaraj Puttaswamy of Punya Hospital, A D Halli, says the government is doing a good job when it comes to vaccination, but it took the decision to open it up for the 18-44 age group without considering the number of people against the number of vaccines available.</p>.<p>“On April 30, we only had five vials, but a queue of 200 people. They had booked slots on the portal because slots were available, and we had to send them back,” he says. The next day too the hospital saw a huge crowd.</p>.<p>Frontline workers in the 18-44 age bracket can get jabs from government centres. Private hospitals are complaining they were caught by surprise by the announcement.</p>.<p>“If we had known about this policy in advance, we would have had a vendor in place. There is no clarity in the communication. They could have provided us with a list of manufacturers to contact,” a doctor at a private hospital says. </p>.<p>Dr H M Prasanna, president, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA), says the change in policy has completely halted the private sector vaccination drive.</p>.<p>“As numbers keep increasing, the need of the hour is to vaccinate as many people as possible, and private hospitals are integral to the process. The announcement was sudden and none of the hospitals, except Apollo and Manipal, were ready to deal with the situation. Even they had small quantities in stock,” he says.</p>.<p>He says the differential pricing for private hospitals — they pay Rs 600 for a dose of Covishield and Rs 1,200 for Covaxin — may be a hurdle to mass vaccination.</p>.<p>“Why should private hospitals pay so much? We are not trying to drive up our profits through the vaccines,” he says.</p>.<p>Currently, private hospitals are directing people to government primary health centres.</p>.<p>“PHANA is trying to find vendors so that we can buy in bulk and supply to our members,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Couple who made it</strong></p>.<p>Gitanjali Chitnis, 31 and her husband, 34, are among the few who have managed to get the jab. They got inoculated at Apollo Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, on May 4 after making an appointment the previous day. Volunteer-run Twitter and Telegram alerts notify people when slots open up on the Cowin portal.</p>.<p>She relied on @BloreVaccine on Twitter. “You have to be quick, there is no way around it,” she writes. “Double mask and carry a sanitiser.”</p>.<p><strong>‘Waiting for consignment’</strong></p>.<p>BBMP Chief Health Officer (Public Health) Dr BK Vijayendra says “We are expecting a consignment. Once that comes in people between the 18 to 44 age bracket can also get immunised. Right now we only have enough to vaccinate those receiving their second dose and those above 45 years,” he says. According to the Co-Win portal, 2.79 lakh people have been vaccinated so far in Bengaluru, which amounts to only 2.18 per cent of the city’s population.</p>