Chennai, June 11(BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu state public health department has suspended a pharmacist with the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) at Tirupur over the incident of diverting vaccines meant for the UPHC’s to inoculate the workers of three private garment factories. The incident occurred on Saturday, June 5.
The directorate of public health (DPH) in a statement of Friday said that Dr. Jagdeesh Kumar, The Deputy Director of Public Health Services had conducted an inquiry into the incident based on media reports. On the basis of the inquiry, the DPH ordered suspension of the pharmacist. Disciplinary proceedings were also initiated against him.
The Tirupur corporation officials had used around 800 Covaxin doses which were meant for PHC’s to vaccinate workers and employees of three export units without allegedly not informing the medical officers of the concerned urban primary health centres.
The Deputy Director of Public health has in his investigation found that the pharmacist had received the vaccine doses from the office of the Deputy Director of Health Services but handed it over to the corporation officials without informing the health department.
The corporation is also facing flak over its decision to employ nurses from private hospitals to administer vaccination which is not permissible and the state health department has already sought an explanation from the corporation on this.
