PUNE: Parbhani collector Aanchal Goyal has filed an FIR against a health officer managing a primary health centre on the charge of not actively participating in the Covid vaccination programme.
The FIR was filed based on a report by the zilla parishad CEO on the poor performance of the officer, who was not conducting the necessary number of drives nor was he taking steps to complete the first dose of vaccination, Goyal told TOI.
The percentage of first dose completion in the district is 73 and the second dose 38. Pimpalghari, where the health centre is situated, has registered less than 70% first dose vaccination as reported by the zilla parishad CEO.
Goyal said the FIR, filed through the tehsildar, has been registered under sections 2,3 and 4 of the Epidemic Act, 1893, and section 56 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. “These sections mainly deal with dereliction of duty,” said the collector. Besides, a departmental inquiry would be initiated against the health officer.
Collectors in the state are monitoring the vaccination programme in the districts they are in charge of.
The state currently has 85% partial or first-dose beneficiaries and 50% full-dose beneficiaries.
FIR against officer for ‘lag’ in vaccination
Parbhani district occupies 30th position in terms of vaccination in Maharashtra.
According to the complaint, even after following up with the official and urging him to encourage citizens to participate in the drive, no effort to push the immunisation drive was taken by the concerned officer.
State government officials have been directing local authorities to speed up vaccination in all districts in the wake of omicron variant and experts stressing on completion of double-dose vaccination.
Nearly 22 districts in Maharashtra have continued to be below the state average in both the doses.
Districts such as Parbhani, Gadchiroli, Hingoli, Beed, Nanded and Nandurbar have been directed to boost first dose of the covid vaccination.
Nanded and Nandurbar, till now, have not even completed 70% first-dose vaccination, according to the chart issued on December 10.
