An FIR has been registered against in-charge medical officer, Dr Arfin Zehra and contractual ANM Niha Khan in Jamalpur Urban Primary Health Center for throwing 29 vaccine-filled syringes in garbage. They have been accused of causing damage to public property, violation of epidemic act, conspiracy and misinformation. The department has already taken action to stop increment of medical officer and transfer to Harduaganj CHC and also termination of the ANM.
The case has been registered on behalf of the District Immunization Officer Dr. Durgesh Kumar and Deputy District Immunization Officer Sharad Aggarwal. In statement given to the Civil Line Police Station, Vaccine and Cold Chain Manager Ravindra Sharma had inspected the Jamalpur Urban PHC on 22 May. According to the Covid portal, 200 people between the ages of 18 and 44 were vaccinated (Covaxin) on the said date. In this session, 29 such syringes were found in which the vaccine was loaded and the hub was cut. Which showed that many beneficiaries were updated on the portal without vaccine. Even after filling the syringe with the vaccine, the beneficiaries were deprived of the vaccine. This seems to have been done intentionally. The medical officer in charge and the pharmacist held vaccination staff responsible. The Inquiry Committee reported that the contract ANM gave a statement of imposition of 15 vaccines, whereas 60-70 vaccines were given that day. This was in the knowledge of the medical officer in charge, but he did not give any information to the CMO. Therefore they are guilty of concealing the facts. Niha Khan is held guilty of not throwing 29 doses of vaccine loaded syringes into the garbage. Niha Khan has damaged the national program by this act. She has played with the sentiments of the public in violation of the epidemic act. The police have filed a lawsuit against the medical officer in charge and the fired ANM under the Disaster Act, for damaging public property, concealing facts, giving false information, intentionally committing malicious acts and conspiracy.
The CMO formed a joint investigation committee under the direction of ACMO Dr. Durgesh Kumar and Dr. MK Mathur. On May 25, the Health Department team reached the PHC and conducted an investigation. The statements of both ANM Niha Khan and Annu, staff nurse Sonam Rajauria and medical officer in-charge Dr. Arifin Zehra were recorded in this. The ANM reported the syringe to be defective. No one admitted of throwing a syringe filled with vaccine. No one had an answer to why the use of a bad syringe was not stopped. The pharmacist said in his statement that the vaccine should be carried out by the team of ANM. The medical officer in charge also made the same statement. The officials were neither satisfied with the ANM nor the statement of the medical officer in-charge. Because, no one reported a syringe malfunction.
Jamalpur Urban PHC is being vaccinated from May 10. Reports of good vaccination were being received daily from here, but in inspection on 22 May, 29 vaccine-filled syringes were found in the garbage.
It was found that it is said that needles were pricked on those coming for vaccination, but instead of inserting the vaccine, the syringe filled with medicine was thrown in the dustbin. A total of 200 people were vaccinated on this day. The officials of the department are calling the vaccinated people to find out if anyone has any doubts. Those who got vaccinated that day will be considered for vaccination again.
On administrative grounds, ANM Niha Khan's contract has been terminated and medical officer in-charge, Dr. Arifin Zehra, has been transferred withholding the increment for two years. Dr. Usme Aiman ??has been appointed as contractual doctor of Urban Primary Health Center, Mahfujanagar, in place of Dr. Arifin. Pharmacist Arvind Kashyap has been posted at Urban Primary Health Center Jeevangarh, contractual staff nurse Sonam Rajouria has been posted at Primary Health Center Mahfooz Nagar and here staff nurse Rekha Rajput has been posted at Jamalpur. Contractual ANM Annu has been removed and posted at Urban Primary Health Center Bhujpura.
Former Mayor Shakuntala Bharti has said that the medical officers in charge, Dr. Arfin Zehra and ANM Niha Khan, put the vaccine filled syringe in the garbage as a conspiracy to defame the government. Action should be taken under NSA act on the ANM who made fake vaccination and the medical officer in charge of suppressing the case.
