Corona Vaccine Controversy Row: Pharmacist Suspended In Tirupur For Allegedly Diverting 800 Covaxin Jabs To Garment Factories

The Tamil Nadu Public Health Department has suspended a pharmacist at Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC for diverting 800 Covaxin doses to three private garment factories without informing the health department, a statement said on Friday.

Representative Image (Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Chennai: Taking a quick on the reports that claimed Tirupur Corporation selling nearly 800 Covaxin doses to the private garment factories on June 5, the Tamil Nadu Public Health Department has suspended a pharmacist at an Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Tirupur for allegedly diverting vaccines meant for the UPHCs.

The Directorate of Public Health (DPH), in the statement, said that its Deputy Director, Dr Jagdeesh Kumar, had conducted an inquiry into the incident based on media reports, and the suspension of the pharmacist was ordered on the basis of the findings. Disciplinary proceedings were also initiated against him.

The Tirupur corporation officials had allegedly used around 800 Covaxin doses which were meant for PHCs to vaccinate workers and employees of three export units without informing the medical officers of the UPHCs concerned.

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 them 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 Health Department has already sought an explanation on this.