Health Department issues Notice to Hirekerur Health Officer
BENGALURU/NEW DELHI:
Taking exception to a Karnataka Minister’s act of getting vaccinated at his residence, the Union Health Ministry called it a violation of protocol and has sought a report in the matter. However, the Minister BC Patil brazened it out saying that his decision to take the vaccine at home cannot be considered wrong.
The video and pictures of health officials administering the vaccine at Patil’s home were widely shared on social media where people talked about the misuse of processes by the minister at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah among other Cabinet Ministers had gone to the hospital to receive the shot.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said at a press briefing on Tuesday that “This is not allowed in the protocol. We have asked for a report from the State Government.”
However, the minister in question justified his action, arguing that, “There were many people in the house and I would have to wait for around half an hour at the hospital is why I took it at home.”
He added that there were certain privileges and his decision to take the vaccine at home cannot be considered wrong. Patil said that he had only called health officials home for the vaccine.
Show Cause Notice
Haveri District Health Officer Dr Rajendra Doddamani issued a notice to Taluk Health Officer ZR Makandar after a controversy erupted over state minister BC Patil being administered COVID-19 vaccine at his March 3 Notice to Hirekerur Health Officer after Karnataka Minister gets COVID-19 vaccine shot at residence on Tuesday.