The COVID-19 vaccination drive for students is in full swing in several states. But here's a major protocol violation that took place in Madhya Pradesh. Aged 15 and above, 39 students were vaccinated with one syringe in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district. This is observed as a sheer violation of the "one needle-one syringe-only one time" protocol, resulting in the suspension of the District Vaccination Officer.
On July 27, a vaccination camp was organised at Jain Higher Secondary School and a nursing student was deployed for inoculation, as stated in a report by PTI. It was at this vaccination camp that a student's father noticed that the nursing student had not changed the syringe after multiple pricks and raised an alert. In regards to this, an FIR was registered against the vaccinator, identified as Jitendra Ahirwar, a district official said.
When the parents questioned the act of negligence, the nursing student said, "I did what I was asked to do. The person who delivered the materials (vaccines and other kits) gave a single syringe." Additionally, Sagar's in-charge, Collector Kshitij Singhal, sent district Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr DK Goswami to inquire about the incident.
Those present at the spot informed Goswami that the vaccinator allegedly used the same syringe to administer vaccine doses to as many as 39 children, the district official said. The inquiry findings say that after protests by the parents, Ahirwar escaped from the spot and was not found when the CMHO inspected the school. It is noted that his mobile phone has also been switched off.
Giving more details, another official said, based on the CMHO's report, that the Sagar Divisional Commissioner, Mukesh Shukla, on July 28, suspended District Vaccination Officer Dr Shobharam Roshan. Further, the Divisional Commissioner directed the Collector to appoint another official in place of Dr Roshan. An official from the Gopal Ganj police station said that they have registered an FIR against Ahirwar under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 336 (rash or negligent act endangering human life or personal safety of others).
Meanwhile, health officials examined all 39 children and observed that reports of 19 of them were found to be normal, while the remaining reports are awaited, Goswami added.