3 elderly women given anti-rabies shots instead of Covid vaccine in UP's Shamli

LUCKNOW: Three elderly women were allegedly administered anti-rabies injections instead of Covid jabs at a government hospital in the Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh, their families claimed on Friday.

As per a source, one of the three women is claimed to be critical. The women's families reported the matter to the medical superintendent of the CHC and sought action against erring health officials.

District Magistrate Jasjeet Kaur said she had deputed the Kairana SDM and two other officials to inquire into the matter. “Strictest action will be taken against those found guilty,” said the DM.

The source claimed that three women -- Saroj (70), Anarkali (72), and Satyavati (60) had gone to the government community health centre (CHC) at Kandhla on Thursday to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

While Saroj lived at Sarawgyan locality, Anarkali and Satyavati from Railway Mandi locality joined her to the CHC for vaccination.

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They claimed that first they were asked by the health workers at the CHC to bring syringes from the nearby medical store. They were then administered the vaccine and were given the slips and asked to go home.

After some time, Saroj started feeling giddy and restless. Her family member took her to a private doctor and showed him the OPD slip which was given to her at the CHC. The doctor was allegedly shocked to notice that Saroj was administered an anti-rabies vaccine instead of a Covid jab.

When the slips of the other two were checked, it was found that they were also administered the same vaccine.

Later, Anarkali told reporters that after getting the jab, she showed her Adhar card to the person who gave her the injection. He allegedly said that it was not needed. When she confronted him, the health worker said that the Aadhaar card was not needed as she gave her injection against dog bite.

However, CHC superintendent Dr Vijendra said that he had taken cognizance of the matter. He said that he had forwarded the complaint to the senior officers in the district and action would be taken against errant officials.

Meanwhile, Shamli CMO Dr Sanjay Agarwal said that both the sections -- for inoculation of Covid vaccine and anti-Rabies -- were kept separately in the CHC. 

“The possibility of administration of anti-rabies injection at the section where Covid inoculation was going on is not possible as the anti-rabies vaccine is not available in the Covid section,” said the CMO.

He added that in all probability, the women might have gone to the section where anti-rabies vaccines were being given. “However, a probe has been ordered into the incident and the CHC chief has been asked to produce a report,” said the CMO.

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