Mumbai: 3-hour wait, bad management lead to ruckus at Covid-19 vaccination centre for second Covaxin jab

Last week, the T ward had 3,750 senior citizens waiting for the second dose of Covaxin. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Shortages, long wait to get the jab, alleged preferential treatment and mismanagement led to scuffles at Mulund's ESIS Hospital's vaccine centre on Tuesday morning. The centre is currently giving only the second dose to senior citizens, who said the average time per person was three hours.

Citizens said the BMC must deploy its staff to manage the centre at ESIS Hospital properly

Amid the vaccine shortage in the city, the BMC allowed for a separate centre at ESIS Hospital in the T ward for people waiting for a second dose of Covaxin. While the venue was provided by the hospital, medical workers were the civic body's and infrastructure and other manpower were provided by the Chandrakant Kotecha Charitable foundation run by MLA Mihir Kotecha. To avoid chaos, a coupon system had been devised.

However, mismanagement took a toll on senior citizens who had to wait for over three hours for their shot. On Tuesday noon, an altercation between senior citizens waiting to take jabs resulted in a ruckus.

Aniket Gawde, who had gone to the centre, tweeted, "There are more than 500 senior citizens waiting. But vaccination centre management is not even giving proper information. This is a serious threat considering the current situation." Aniket also said that there was a fight at the centre's gate.

Mohnish Dange, a Thane resident, received a call on Tuesday afternoon from his 73-year-old relative who was at the centre. "I visited the vaccination centre of ESIS Hospital for my relative. The vaccination system at the centre was absolutely faulty. It was a total mess and very painful to see the suffering of senior citizens. There was ruckus all over the centre for tokens, a long waiting period, registration, etc.

There were no BMC officers to whom people could raise their grievances. BMC must depute its employees immediately instead of handing over the management of vaccination centres to some political parties." The ESIS centre was created to facilitate the second dose for 3,750 senior citizens in T ward. mid-day tried to reach MLA Kotecha but he remained unavailable for comment.

500
Approx. no. of sr citizens waiting in queue on Tue as per a Twitter user