Although AMC will arrange the vaccine, the cost will be recovered from the beneficiary.
Here is good news and bad news at the same time. There is respite for those headed for Africa and hunting for medical shops to procure yellow fever vaccine: the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will arrange for the vaccine. However, the vaccine, which used to be free, will now be charged. The standing committee of AMC approved on Wednesday the proposal to purchase yellow fever vaccines.
Until now, the beneficiary had to arrange the vaccine, which was available in only a few medical stores of the city. But now, the vaccine will be available at AMC itself. According to medical officer of health for AMC, Dr Suhas Kulkarni, “As the state government supply of vaccines stopped, AMC has been instructed to arrange for the same.” As per government guidelines, the cost of the vaccine (Rs1,200) will be recovered from the beneficiary, he stated.
Earlier, the vaccine was given free of cost to the beneficiary and only an administrative charge of Rs350 was charged. But, since February 2013, AMC stopped receiving yellow fever vaccines from the state government, forcing people to buy from private medical stores.
A glance at figures reveals that in February 2012, the number of people who took the vaccine stood at 880, which dropped in February this year to 490. Similarly, in March this year, the number was 566, compared to 1,094 during March 2012. In April this year, the number stood at 216, a steep fall from the 1,191 in April 2012.
However, an official linked to the yellow fever vaccination department, requesting anonymity, said, “The arrangement of vaccination is a temporary step. Soon, the state government will supply the vaccines.”
Commissioner of food and drug control administration, HG Koshia, said, “There is shortage of yellow fever vaccine as the production unit in Russia, from where we used to import, has been shut down. However, we have placed an order from Europe and the vaccines have already been imported. The vaccines are undergoing laboratory testing and in the next 10 days, they will be available at AMC and other centres of the state.”
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