Three women in western Uttar Pradesh's Shamli were administered with anti-rabies vaccine instead of COVID-19 shots, a probe confirmed on April 9.
The apparent case of medical negligence was reported at the district's Community Health Centre (CHC). After the matter was brought to light, District Magistrate Jasjit Kaur ordered an inquiry.
"We have received a detailed report and we found the women did go to get their COVID vaccinations but by mistake they did not go to the first-floor vaccination centre and instead went to the OPD," NDTV quoted Kaur as saying.
The pharmacist at the OPD was leaving for some work, and asked a private person - a pharmacist of a Jan Aushadhi Kendra - to vaccinate the three women, she said, adding that the anti-rabies shot was given to them by him.
"I have instructed the CMO (Chief Medical Officer) to suspend the pharmacist," the district magistrate added.
A warning was issued to the medical superintendent at the CHC and direction has also been issued to remove the private person - who administered the vaccine - from his post of pharmacist at the Jan Aushadhi Kendra, Kaur said.
The families of the eldery women - Saroj (70), Anarkali (72) and Satyawati (60) - had called for strict action against the negligent officials.
Anarkali, one of the women, said the person vaccinating them did not ask for the Aadhaar card which made her suspicious. Satyawati claimed that she also grew doubtful and asked him to explain what kind of vaccine it was. "The man told me it was a rabies vaccine," she was reported as saying.
The incident comes at a time when state governments have been asked by the Centre to ensure maximum COVID-19 vaccination among the eligible beneficiaries.
Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state in India, has been hit by the second wave of the pandemic. On April 9, a total of 9,695 fresh cases were reported - the highest in a day so far. The state capital Lucknow accounted for 2,934 of the new cases detected in the last 24 hours.
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