Gujarat: Singer Takes Covid Jab 'Inside Home', Govt Orders Inquiry Against Health Worker

An inquiry was initiated after a complaint was filed and a show-cause notice was also issued to the concerned health worker, officials said.

Kutch: Controversy erupted after Gujarati folk signer, Geet Rabari, posted a photo of her getting the Covid-19 vaccine. Allegedly, the singer in the photo was receiving the jab from a nurse while sitting on a sofa at her house. 

A complaint was filed with the district administration based on this picture alleging preferential treatment to the singer which prompted the administration to issue a show-cause notice to a woman health worker, officials said on Sunday.

Popular Gujarati folk singer Geeta Rabari being purportedly administered a Covid-19 shot in her house at Madhapar village in Kutch district. After controversy erupted she removed the picture from her social media channels. Usually, for inoculation, one has to go to a designated centre after booking a slot online.

An inquiry was initiated after a complaint was filed and a show-cause notice was also issued to the concerned health worker, officials said.

"As per the complaint received by me yesterday, Geeta Rabari had taken vaccination at her house at Madhapar village on Saturday evening. I issued instructions to officials to identify the health staff who went to her home to administer the vaccine, and on whose approval it was done," said Kutch District Development Officer (DDO) Bhavya Verma according to PTI.

Verma said the health worker was directed to file an explanation on Sunday based on which an action will be taken. 

He explained, that Rabari had booked a slot for vaccination on Saturday but instead of going to the public health center, she apparently preferred to get vaccinated at home. Kutch Chief District Health Officer JO Madhak said Rabari allegedly received her vaccination shot at her house at Madhapar village and an inquiry was initiated.

According to an Indian Express report, her husband Pruthvi Rabari also posted his WhatsApp profile picture of him receiving purportedly Covid-19 vaccine shot being administered by the same female health staff.

“We are conducting an inquiry-based on media reports stating that the FHS has given the vaccination at doorstep to Geetaben Rabari… The government has permitted doorstep vaccination to divyang people and certain senior citizens (only)… We will take appropriate action if she is proven guilty,” Dr Janak Madhak, chief district health officer (CDHO) of Kutch told Indian Express.

The 25-year-old singer has had several popular music albums to her credit and known for giving live performances in Gujarat and abroad. Geeta Rabari had last February performed at the "Namaste Trump" event held at the Narendra Modi stadium, then called the Motera stadium, in Ahmedabad, before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then US President Donald Trump.