Madhya Pradesh(India): A health official is being investigated for vaccinating 30 students with a single syringe in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
The incident occurred at a school in the Sagar district where children were being given vaccines for Covid-19. India’s health ministry mandates a “one needle, one syringe, one time only” protocol for COVID-19 vaccines.
India has so far administered over 2.03 billion Covid-19 vaccines.
Single-use disposable syringes are widely used in India to prevent the spreading of deadly diseases like HIV. However, there have been several incidents where the same syringe has been reused in hospitals due to a lack of equipment.
While vaccinating the children, Jitendra Rai told the media that the health department had given them only one syringe and was following the order.
The parents who came with the children saw the matter and informed the school administration. When state officials reached the school, Mr Rai was missing from school, and his phone was switched off.
The state health department has registered a case of negligence against him. Meanwhile, an investigation has also been started against the officer responsible for sending the equipment for the vaccination campaign.
A spokesperson from the opposition Congress party has demanded that the state’s health minister should resign over the incident.
India is the second country after China to have crossed the two-billion Covid vaccines mark. In July, the government announced a 75-day free Covid booster dose programme for all adults to mark India’s 75th independence anniversary.
According to India’s health ministry, 98% of adults have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, while 90% have been fully vaccinated.
On Wednesday, the country reported 18,313 daily cases for the past 24 hours and 57 Covid-related deaths.
