ALAPPUZHA: Health Minister Veena George’s Facebook post praising a junior public health nurse of Chengannur taluk hospital has kicked up a controversy after many people posted comments that the failure of the health system of the state was evident in the incident in which a single nurse was forced to administer Covid vaccine to 893 people in seven-and-a-half hours.
Pushpalatha, Junior Public Health Nurse of Chengannur hospital, administered vaccines to these much people last week and the minister appreciated her after visiting the hospital on Monday.
However, many social media users posted comments below her FB post pointing out that the massive vaccination by a single nurse reveals the failure of the state’s health system. Later the minister clarified in Kochi that nobody should take it in a negative manner.
“The appreciation was a recognition to the health workers who are working hard to save the lives of lakhs of people,” minister told reporters.
Earlier on her FB page, she said: “Hundreds of health workers, nobody knows their names or face, are working for the protection of the health of people and the health department is proud about them. They are helping our health system overcome all crises created by Covid. The appreciation of Pushpalatha is an appreciation to all health workers of the state,” the minister said in the post.
Meanwhile, Pushpalatha said it was a collective effort to achieve the goal. Woman health inspector V R Valsa, JHIs Vineeth and Sree Raj and staff nurses Remya and Animol were part of the team that helped administer the vaccine, Pushpalatha told the minister. The minister praised the team members also.
One of the FB comments said that too much vaccination by a single nurse shows the lapses on the part of health department.