The private healthcare sector, which has been stuck with unsold Covid vaccine doses worth crores, have started offering their stocks at 10-30% discounted rates to bulk purchasers. Meanwhile, several hospitals have even approached the manufacturers to return unsold inventory.
As per a Times of India (TOI) report, Mumbai hospitals currently have more than 85% of the unsold doses. Different from the situation in May-June, when private players faced a crisis of shortage. By October last week, they were sitting on more than 47 lakh doses. Vaccinations in the city’s private sector nosedived in October with less than 3 lakh paid jabs administered.
Reportedly, Sanjeevani Hospital in Malad has 7,000 doses of Covishield worth Rs 44 lakh and so far, no takers. “I have approached both the manufacturer and BMC, but nobody is willing to take the vaccines,” Dr Sunil Agarwal, the hospital’s director told TOI. We are willing to liquidate it at a discount of 30 per cent it is better than doses going to waste altogether, he added.
Hospitals’ daily footfall for vaccination has dropped to 20-25 people, far below the crowd of 1,000 they had previously.
Similarly, Oscar Hospital in the western suburbs of the financial capital has around 25,000 surplus doses. “We have all three—Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik, but hardly any people are coming forward,” Dr Pawar told TOI.
Oscar, like many others hospitals, is pinning hopes on the government approving a booster shot. The other way we may see a surge in demand is if the interval between doses is reduced, he added. The civic corporation had said more than 22 lakh people would be eligible for vaccination immediately if the 84-day interval is shortened.
A state official said private hospitals have offered vaccines to the government. “But we cannot buy from private sector when there is abundant supply from the Centre,” the official said. Interestingly, no hospital has slashed rates despite the oversupply.
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