Doctor with county’s health agency accused of stealing the vaccine
A Harris County Public Health doctor has been fired and faces state charges after allegedly stealing a vial of COVID-19 vaccine, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced Thursday.
Local officials say Dr. Hasan Gokal on Dec. 29 took a vial that contained nine doses of the vaccine while he was working at a county vaccination site at Lindsay/Lyons Park in Humble.
“He abused his position to place his friends and family in line in front of people who had gone through the lawful process to be there,” Ogg said in a news release. “What he did was illegal, and he’ll be held accountable under the law.”
Gokal’s attorney, Paul Doyle, said the vaccine was set to expire had it not been used.
“Dr. Gokal is a dedicated public servant who ensured that COVID-19 vaccine dosages that would have otherwise expired went into the arms of people who met the criteria for receiving it,” Doyle said. “Harris County would have preferred Dr. Gokal let the vaccines go to waste and are attempting to disparage this man’s reputation in the process to support this
policy. We look forward to our day in court to right this wrong.”
Gokal first told a fellow county employee about the theft, and that employee reported him to supervisors, prosecutors said.
Harris County Public Health investigated the matter and fired Gokal. Mishandling vaccines can result in a loss of government funding to the county, Ogg said.
The public health organization’s representatives said they couldn’t comment because of pending litigation.
Gokal’s medical license is still active, according to the Texas Medical Board. He’s
been practicing for 21 years in the U.S., including nine years in Texas.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and County Attorney Christian Menefee’s offices contacted prosecutors, who charged Gokal
with theft by a public servant, a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.