Only two of the 71 private hospitals empanelled for the second phase of the immunization programme here in Ranchi have started inoculating senior citizens and middle-agers with comorbid conditions, officials spearheading the vaccination drive said on Wednesday.

As per government data, as many as 885 senior citizens and 26 middle-agers with comorbid conditions have been inoculated in the state capital since the launch of the second phase of vaccination. Only about 155 of these beneficiaries were administered the first jab of the Covidhield vaccine at a private facility, data compiled by private hospitals highlight.

As of now, only Raj Hospital and Bhagwan Mahavir Medica Superspecialty Hospital have started the vaccination drive for senior citizens and those above 45 years with comorbid conditions in Ranchi. Gradually, more empanelled hospitals will start the process of vaccination as more healthcare workers get trained,” said the state immunisation officer, Dr Ajit Prasad.

Across the state, only about 13 of over 450 empanelled private hospitals have started inoculating beneficiaries for the second phase of the vaccination drive. The rush for vaccination, he said, was greater in government facilities in comparison to private clinics and hospitals.

“We organised training sessions for healthcare workers in private hospitals on February 27 and 28 for the second phase of the immunization programme that started on March 1. However, the training process is still underway in many private hospitals,” said Dr. Prasad.

While the vaccine jabs are administered free of cost at government hospitals, private hospitals are charging Rs 250 for each of the two jabs. However, sources said that more beneficiaries will register with private hospitals for vaccination gradually as Rs 500 was a nominal charge and affordable for most of the urban residents.

On Tuesday – Day 2 of the second phase of the drive – around 55 senior citizens were administered the first dose of the vaccine at Medica on the day, while 100 people got the jab at Raj Hospital in Ranchi.

Sources from private hospitals said that technical glitches in the Co-Win 2.0 mobile app also caused delay in starting the vaccination programme in private hospitals.

As per government data, more than 3 lakh people have been administered the first dose of the Covishield vaccine in Jharkhand so far. Besides, around 30,000 people have also been administered the second dose of the vaccine 28 days after they got the first jab. In the first phase of the immunization, which started on January 16, the government inoculated only healthcare workers and frontline workers.