In an incident that seems to be straight out of a Priyadarshan film, 3 elderly women in Shamli were given the rabies anti-viral shot instead of the COVID vaccine that they had asked for. 

© AFP (Representational Image)

In a bizarre and freak incident that would have certainly made the health officials and everyone involved in the incident facepalm themselves really hard, the Community Health Centre at Kandhla, from where COVID vaccines were being administered in Shamli, immunised three elderly women, aged 70, 72 & 60  with rabies antiviral. Only in Uttar Pradesh can something like this happen, given the madness that often ensues there.

#Shamli- स्वास्थ्य विभाग की बड़ी लापरवाही आई सामने, कोरोना वैक्सीन लगवाने गए लोगों से लापरवाही, कोरोना वैक्सीन की जगह एंटी रैबीज का टीका लगाया, वैक्सीन की जगह एंटी रैबीज का इंजेक्शन लगाया। pic.twitter.com/fobXBb4hTH

— भारत समाचार (@bstvlive) April 9, 2021

The “mistake” first came to light when one of the women, aged 70, developed some complications and started showing some side effects. Worried that these might be the side effects of the COVID vaccine which was administered earlier, the woman’s family members took her to a private hospital.

© ANI

At the hospital, one of the doctors discovered that the woman in question had been given the rabies antiviral shot. 

© ANI

The two other women spotted the red flag when they were not asked to submit copies of their Aadhar cards, even after getting the shot. A “gangster” move like this can only be planned by graduates of WhatsApp University, doesn’t it seem so?

The three families, upon learning that this wasn’t exactly a mistake, but a fraudulent practice by the Health Centre, obviously created a ruckus, and demanded that the CMO be involved in this matter and order an investigation.

Shamli’s DM, Jagjit Singh, has ordered a probe into the incident and has assured the family that strict actions shall be taken against the perpetrators.

This incident of fraud, has since then, taken a major political colour given how disorganised the vaccine drives have been in certain parts of the country. 

People on Twitter were especially very vocal about this.

मुखिया जी तो कह रहे हैं कि कोरोना की रोकथाम के लिए बेहतर प्रबंध किए है pic.twitter.com/Pb3gXH8MeA

— Dr Bharat singh (@DrBhara88528116) April 9, 2021

This user says - “The chief had said that better arrangements have been made to stop Corona, hadn’t he?”

कहाँ हैं स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं के बेहतर होने का ढिंढोरा पीटने वाले लोग
ऐसी लापरवाही पर एक शब्द भी बोलने में दुबक जाते है सत्तापक्ष की नेक नियत की दुहाई देने वाले चाटुकार
लानत है

— Dr Bharat singh (@DrBhara88528116) April 9, 2021

This user says - “Where are the people who were beating drums and saying that healthcare and related services had been improved”

Truer words have never been spoken...

Indian Alabama.

— Gulrose Shaikh (@GulRose_views) April 9, 2021

Exactly, from WhatsApp University...

UP’s doctor has gotten advance knowledge.

— Shaikh Gulzar (@ShaikhGulzarPbh) April 9, 2021

Say what you will, but officials in Uttar Pradesh ensure that the rest of the country, no matter what, comes across as far more developed in one way or the other.

Let us know in the comments below, if you can recall other instances, where state officials have had to face such embarrassment, about something so rudimentary and basic.

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