Hyderabad: Hit by vaccine shortage, Alwal residents seek more centres

Alwal: People going for their second shot of Covid-19 vaccine at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) and Navakala Kendra at Alwal are returning home disappointed as they have stopped giving vaccines for the past three days due to shortage.

Vexed citizens took up the issue on social media and tagged Health Minister Eatala Rajender, State Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and Municipal Administration Minister and TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao requesting them to increase vaccination centres in Alwal. There are only two vaccination centres, one at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) and the other at Navakala Kendra. As the UPHC has stopped giving vaccines, people in huge numbers were rushing to the Navakala Kendra, a community hall for vaccines.

"For the past two days I have been visiting PHC at Alwal for my second shot of Covid-19 vaccine, but the staff asked me to come some other day as there is a shortage of vaccine. On Friday, they altogether stopped inoculation due to shortage of vaccine,'' said R Sravanthi, a resident of the area.

'There has been no vaccine at Old Alwal Primary Health Centre for the past three days. Navakala Kendra, the only vaccination centre, has been crowded with people waiting for first and second dose. We request the authorities to increase vaccination centres and see that at least over 45 people get their 2nd dose without any problem," said K Srinivas Varma, General Secretary, Greater Alwal Allied Service Association.

"Navakala Kendra is chock-a-block with people waiting for hours in the scorching sun and the other vaccination centres are very far from my house. Hence I request the Health department to set up more centres at Alwal, so that even the nearby localities can avail the service,'' said Bharath Kumar, another resident.

Meanwhile, a staff member on request of anonymity said, "There has been no vaccine supply for three days and we have been waiting for the stock to arrive. We have noted down the contact numbers of the people to inform them once the vaccine is available ould be available we would inform them."