Uttar Pradesh: FIR Against Two Medical Staff For Allegedly Wasting Vaccines

Uttar Pradesh vaccine wastage: An auxiliary nurse midwife and the vaccination in charge at a Community Health Centre in Aligarh, UP have been booked for allegedly wasting COVID-19 vaccines, as per reports. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed against them after an inquiry committee probed into the matter.

It was reportedly found that nurse Niha Khan had disposed of 29 syringes of the vaccine without administering them, as per Indian Express. Aarfeen Zehra, the in-charge, meanwhile, is also facing action for allegedly being in the know about vaccine wastage but failing to inform senior authorities.

"We have received 29 full doses of vaccine in the dustbin. Investigation is going on and things will soon be clear," Circle Officer Vishal Chaudhary was quoted saying.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including omission of information, giving false information and forgery.

Uttar Pradesh Vaccine Wastage Accusations Raise Concerns

The wastage incident, which took place sometime in the fourth week of May, was brought to Zehra's notice by a pharmacist and she has reportedly expressed regret for not acting on it. Khan has denied the allegations levelled against her of wasting COVID-19 vaccines and "malpractice," alleging a conspiracy.

The issue came to light after district health officials took cognisance of it. Chandra Bhushan Singh, Agra District magistrate of Aligarh, issued a showcause notice to Khan following the alleged wastage incident, reports said May 27.

After the inquiry committee of additional Chief Medical Officer Dr MK Mathur and deputy CMO Durgesh Kumar probed the matter, Singh sought a termination of the nurse's contract.

"No such incident would be tolerated and whosoever is found guilty would face the action," he was quoted saying.

A video, meanwhile, claiming to be of Khan allegedly wasting COVID-19 vaccines went viral on social media soon after the news from UP surfaced. Several leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) too shared the video on Twitter.

AltNews and BoomLive fact checks showed the video is from Ecuador and that authorities in the South American country took it into account in April this year.