Vaccination norms violated in ‘rush’
In a brazen violation of all the standard protocols attached with the Covid-19 vaccination drive, hundreds of senior citizens were administered the vaccine here on the Panch Mandir temple premises of Channi Himmat, Jammu, on Friday.
The drive witnessed chaotic scenes as a large number of residents converged on the temple premises to receive the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine.
Local workers of a political party created a “piquant” situation for the health workers by circulating a message on various social media platforms inviting residents to attend the “Covid vaccination camp” within the temple.
Earlier, when senior citizens started trickling in the temple there was no system in place to regulate the rush. In the absence of any registration, it was free for all.
Some of the senior citizens suggested measures to “appropriately” channelise the rush but due to absence of manpower and health workers it became more chaotic. At times, the health workers present at the venue refused to administer the dose as residents raised a lot of hue and cry over the poor arrangements.
Majority of senior citizens received the vaccine while remaining seated on their chairs in different rows and columns, one by one.
One of the health workers was seen filling the injection from the vial and the same was handed over to the other health worker before administering to a senior citizen.
No observation room was set up on the premises to handle any exigency in case of any adverse reaction.
One of the health workers present at the venue said, “We had not anticipated such a huge response to the vaccination drive”. He said, “The camp was organised on the temple premises by the Health department due to paucity of space in the Government dispensary located in the densely populated residential area of the housing colony”.
A member of the Panch Mandir managing committee told The Pioneer, “The temple authorities had only facilitated the Government agency by providing the hall and chairs. We provided drinking water and sanitisers as per Covid-19 management protocols”.
Meanwhile, Dr Renu Sharma, Director Health Services, Jammu, could not be reached despite numerous calls till the time of filing the report.
A retired doctor present in the rush of senior citizens told The Pioneer, “I was shocked to see a large number of senior citizens in the temple premises violating the social distancing norms. Referring to the presence of political workers in the gathering he said, “It is nothing but blatant misuse of Government resources for selfish purposes”.