Pune: Tetanus Vaccine Shortage At PMC’s Sutar Hospital Pushes Patients To Private Stores
Pune: Tetanus Vaccine Shortage At PMC’s Sutar Hospital Pushes Patients To Private Stores
Pune, November 29, 2025: A shortage of tetanus doses at the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run Late Jayabai Sutar Hospital and Maternity Home in Kothrud has compelled patients to purchase the essential vaccine from private medical shops.
The issue came to light on Thursday when several patients seeking treatment were informed that the hospital had no tetanus injections available.
A 17-year-old boy from Kothrud, who visited the hospital with hand injuries, said he was instructed to buy the injection from a private pharmacy due to the shortage. Civic activist Amol Kale, who was at the hospital during the incident, confirmed that at least three to four patients were similarly asked to source the vaccine on their own.
Kale criticised the situation, stating that tetanus injections are a basic requirement in any healthcare facility. “If patients decline to buy the vaccine because of cost or inconvenience, their treatment remains incomplete. Many are upset as they are being directed to private stores for something the hospital should provide,” he said. Kale has now lodged a complaint with the PMC.
The vaccine shortage has led to many patients—particularly those with minor injuries, animal bites, or wound infections—returning home without receiving the mandatory tetanus shot, officials added.
