Hyderabad: Beneficiaries struggle for second dose of Covid-19 vaccination

Charminar: Even as the Covid-19 vaccination drive is underway, a large number of people in the southern part of the city, aged above 45 are facing difficulties to get their second dose of the vaccine because of unavailability of the vaccine in the centres.

On one hand the government is voicing and urging people to get vaccinated and on the other hand people are asked to return back to their homes as the centres have insufficient stock of the vaccines. Meanwhile the inoculation drive for age between 18 and 45 years started in the city. However, many second dose beneficiaries who came to get administered their dose of the vaccine, could not get themselves inoculated as there was no vaccine for the second dose in the centres, and were seen returning back.

A beneficiary, Suresh Babu resident of Lal Darwaza said, "I took the first dose of the vaccine in area UPHC and after 10 weeks I came here again to take the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, but the centre has no vaccines. I have been coming daily for the past one week but I couldn't receive my second dose."

Citizens and local leaders allege that no vaccination drives are being conducted in the centres.

"Earlier, in the UPHC they were giving vaccine to the people, but now in most of the UPHC's including Charminar, Umda Bazar, Moghalpura, Shalibanda, and several others in Old city no vaccination programme are being conducted. Another reason why locals fail to receive vaccine is that high-risk groups are given vaccine in specially launched centres," said K Venkatesh, senior Congress leader from Old city.

Prakash another beneficiary said that he took first dose of vaccine eight weeks back an since then he is waiting for his second dose. When he visited the centre they sent me back by saying that the duration of the second dose is 16 weeks. Following which he is distressed that he might get infected.

Several such beneficiaries who took vaccine almost ten weeks back are yet to avail the second dose.

"I took first dose in April and it has been more than 10 weeks that I didn't get my second jab, I am running from pillar to post to get it," said Mohammed Shoaib, a resident of Old city.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Ahmed, a social activist claimed that in other UPHC's in the city the vaccination programme for the second dose is in progress.