The Health Department has launched an inquiry into a recent COVID-19 vaccination drive held by the Tiruppur Corporation for industry workers, allegedly without informing medical officers of the urban primary health centres (UPHC).
Sources in the Health Department said on Wednesday that Deputy Director of Health Services (Tiruppur) K. Jegadeesh Kumar has sought an explanation from Corporation authorities for administering 800 vaccine doses to the employees of three export apparel units on Saturday. While Tiruppur district received 2,000 Covaxin doses on Saturday from the State government, the Corporation allegedly utilised the 800 doses allocated for the 17 UPHCs in Tiruppur Corporation limits and the medical officers concerned were allegedly unaware of this, the sources said.
However, a Corporation official denied any wrongdoing and said that a suitable explanation will be given to the Health Department regarding the issue. As part of COVID-19 preventive measures, the Tiruppur Corporation has been carrying out various new initiatives such as field triaging, fever camps and door-to-door surveys in the past 10 days. Nearly all the medical officers and other staff from the UPHCs were being involved in these initiatives, hence the Corporation was unable to inform them on Saturday regarding the vaccination drive, the official claimed.
As industry workers fall into the ‘vulnerable workers’ category as per a recent Government Order (G.O. No. 252 dated May 22), the Corporation accorded priority to the workers and conducted the vaccination drive, the official added.
A senior IAS officer supervising the COVID-19 preventive measures of Tiruppur Corporation said that the matter will be investigated and action will be initiated if any irregularities were confirmed.
