Amidst the COVID-19 vaccination crisis in certain states of the country, in a bizarre incident in Jaipur, 320 doses of Covaxin - Bharat Biotech's coronavirus vaccine have been reported missing from a cold-storage facility at a government hospital.
As per a report in NDTV, the HB Kanwatia Hospital, which caters primarily to the nearby working-class neighbourhood of Shastri Nagar, said its stock of 200 doses was checked and accounted for on Sunday.
On the next day, a shipment of 489 doses was received. However, when stocks were re-checked the hospital found 320 doses were missing.
Although, security guards were posted outside the cold storage unit in which the vaccines were stored.
Following the incident, the hospital has filed a FIR (first information report) with local police and an investigation is underway. Apart from figuring out how the vaccines went missing despite the presence of guards, the police will also examine CCTV footage from the hospital.
The missing vaccines is a cause of concern as the country faces a continuing massive surge in fresh infections with over 1.84 lakh in the previous 24 hours, and over a lakh per day since April 7 and an alleged shortfall in the supply of the vaccines.
On Saturday Rajasthan joined Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi in warning the centre of fast-depleting vaccine stocks. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said vaccination centres in the state would close in 48 hours unless a fresh shipment was sent.
