BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government on Wednesday claimed that the death of a security guard of a public health facility in the State was unrelated to Covid-19 vaccination.
A security guard of Nuapada district headquarters hospital (DHH), Nanakram Keunt (27) had died while undergoing treatment at VIMSAR, Burla on Tuesday. He was administered a dose of Covishield on January 23.
Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said the youth had got the shot as he was enrolled under the category of healthcare workers in the first phase. His death was due to other health complications and it was not a case of adverse event following immunisation (AEFI), he clarified.
A resident of Dianmunda village in Nuapada district, Nanakram complained of uneasiness on the day he got the jab at the DHH. He was admitted to the hospital after he fell unconscious on duty.
Though he was later shifted to VIMSAR after his condition deteriorated, he could not be saved. Blaming the death due to vaccination, his family members staged a protest and demanded compensation and a job to a family member.
They were pacified after Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia made arrangements for the release of Rs 25,000 from the district Red Cross fund and assured compensation from Chief Minister’s relief fund. The security agency also paid Rs 25,000.
Director (Family Welfare) Dr Bijay Panigrahy said as per the report of the district AEFI committee after post-mortem, the youth died of bleeding disorder with severe anaemia and intracerebral haemorrhage.
“Eighteen minor AEFI cases have been reported during the first spell of vaccination between January 16 and 25 in the State. Barring two who were hospitalised and later discharged after recovery, no other cases were serious in nature,” he added.
Of the enrolled 3,50,726 healthcare workers, 1,77,090 were vaccinated in the first spell of the first phase ended on January 25. The rest 1,73,636 people will be covered in the second spell planned till February 10.