COIMBATORE: In response to TNIE’s report on Sunday about the shortage of DPT (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the state for over two months, the health department has instructed its staff to hold vaccination camps only at the Primary Health Centre (PHCs) until additional vaccine stock is received from the central government.
A senior health officer said they were informed that additional stock of the vaccine would be available for TN and Uttar Pradesh by the third week of September. Until then, they have to manage the situation by redirecting stock to areas in need.
Further, field-level staff have been instructed to conduct vaccination camps only at PHCs and not in anganwadi centres to avoid wastage. “The DPT vaccine comes under the open vial policy. It means the remaining vaccine in a vial (of 10 doses) can be used for up to 28 days. The officials in Coimbatore emphasized that conducting vaccine camps at anganwadi centres may lead to wastage of the vaccine,” said a health official.
An officer in Chennai said, on average, each district needs at least 300 doses per week and every district would have a buffer stock for 60 days. “However, at present, no district has buffer stock. Regional headquarters like Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchy usually have buffer stock for three months, but the situation has changed.
Based on demand, the allotment will be given to PHCs, and they will have buffer stock for 45 days. As per data in the Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN), TN is managing the situation with the available stock,” he said.