Residents in the city are complaining about the shortage of the BCG vaccine that is given to newborn babies for prevention against Tuberculosis (TB).

Government health centers, hospitals and clinics in the private sector are unable to provide children with the life-saving vaccine due to its scarcity. Parents have been repeatedly informed about the shortage of the BCG vaccine by the health centers over the last few months.

Ajaz Qazi, a resident complained that he could not have his newborn baby vaccinated. “After waiting for an hour in a private hospital for the vaccine we were informed that it was not available and they asked us to visit after two days. It was only after several visits to the hospital that our baby was finally vaccinated.”

He said there has never been a shortage of vaccines in Jeddah. He added that it was difficult for working parents to visit hospitals, line up for hours and then be told that the vaccine was not available.

Another Saudi mother from Jeddah voiced her concern over the absence of the vaccine saying: “I have been visiting and calling several government clinics that offer the vaccines free of charge to Saudi nationals only to find out that they are still waiting to receive the BCG vaccine from the Ministry of Health without giving us any reason for the delay.”

Umm Ahmed said, “The hospitals should make the BCG vaccine available at all times as it is the most important vaccination for newborn babies.”

Zehra Abdullah, a nurse working in a public clinic in Jeddah, said: “When the clinic began running out of the vaccine, we called many of the patients who had been waiting for it to notify them. After it was made available we informed them again to come in with their children.”

However, a few health centers told Arab News that it is not possible to stockpile the vaccine in advance as it has a short shelf-life and that it was the shortage of supply which is causing the delay.

The BCG vaccine is also given to older children and adults who might be at risk of TB. Residents have highlighted this problem to various hospital managements.