Doc was on mobile when tots were given sanitiser

An inquiry by the Yavatmal district health officer has revealed that 12 tots were given sanitiser instead of polio dose as the Community Health Officer (CHO) was busy speaking on mobile.

Besides, it was revealed that the ASHA worker and the Anganwadi Sevika were careless, as they did not check the bottle properly before giving the sanitiser to infants in the age group of 1 to 5 years at the Kapasi Kopari village under the Ghatanji Primary Health Centre (PHC).

Additional district health officer Hari Pawar has confirmed that the CHO was busy speaking on mobile and while doing so he asked the ASHA worker and Anganwadi Sevika to pull out the polio vaccine from the box. '' However, they got hold of the sanitiser instead, and without checking it, administered it to 12 children. A show- cause notice has been served on the CHO. If his reply is unsatisfactory, disciplinary action will be taken against him,’’ he noted.

Pawar said henceforth during vaccination use of mobile phone inside the vaccination centre will be banned.

He said the ASHA worker has been suspended and prohibited from participation in the vaccination drive while disciplinary action has been recommended to the Integrated Child Development Scheme Commissioner against the Aganwadi Sevika.

As reported by the Free Press Journal, the Yavatmal District Collector M Devender Singh visited the hospital on Sunday night to inquire about the condition of the children. Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Shrikrishna Panchal has launched an investigation into the incident.