News Analysis India

Tag: Chhattisgarh COVID vaccine

  • Doctor posted at government hospital in Chhattisgarh sacked for black marketing of COVID-19 vaccines

    By PTI
    KORBA: A doctor posted at a government hospital in Chhattisgarh’s Korba district was dismissed from service on Sunday for allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccines at his private clinic, officials said.

    There were complaints that Dr Ashok Kumar Makhija, a child specialist posted at the Primary Health Centre Korba on a contractual basis, was allegedly selling COVID-19 vaccines of the government hospital at his private clinic, following which Korba Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Sunil Nayak probed the matter, Korba Collector Ranu Sahu said.

    “The probe revealed that Dr Makhija had been allegedly indulged in the black marketing of the vaccines. Dr Makhija has been terminated from service and a directive has been issued to seal his private clinic which was being operated without any license, with immediate effect,” she said.

    The SDM said it was not immediately known how Dr Makhija obtained the vaccines.

    “Each vial of the vaccine has 10 doses in total, and once opened for inoculation, all doses have to be used within a stipulated period of time. Dr Makhiha told us that he had been bringing the left vaccines (considered as wastage) in a vial,” Nayak said.

    However, official records showed no vaccine wastage was reported in the past two months in any vaccination centre in the Korba district, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

  • Chhattisgarh witnesses 61% turnout on first day of COVID vaccination drive

    By Express News Service
    RAIPUR: Despite reassurances on the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, Chhattisgarh witnessed a mere 61 per cent turnout among those who had registered to get inoculated on the first day.

    Out of the 9,135 healthcare workers who were to be administered the first dose on priority, 5,592 voluntarily turned up to the designated site to receive ‘Covishield’.

    Several senior doctors and health professionals from both government and private hospitals in the state took the jabs on the first day to assure others and secure public acceptability during the nationwide campaign. 

    ALSO READ | COVID vaccination drive day 1 report: Here’s how TN, Kerala, Odisha, and Telangana fared

    There are 97 centers created in the state with each having the capacity to vaccinate 100 persons a day.

    Health worker Tulsa Tandi working at the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Medical College in Raipur was the first to receive the vaccine dose.

    The vaccination will be carried out on four days a week and will not be held on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday, said Amar Singh Thakur, Chhattisgarh immunization officer.

    The highest turnout was recorded at Ambikapur, in north Chhattisgarh, with 378 registered health workers, and the lowest among the 28 districts was in Narayanpur, with just 48 healthcare workers given the first dose.