Patiala block heads told to look into 'fake' vaccination entries

Tribune News Service

Karam Prakash

Patiala, January 19

Following the allegations of fake entries in the Covid vaccination data of the Health Department, the authorities in Patiala district on Wednesday issued letters to all block heads to look into the matter.

Amid prevailing vaccination hesitancy in the state, several fake entries are alleged to have crept into the Covid vaccination data of the department. According to information, many beneficiaries have allegedly got the vaccination certificates without taking a jab.

Sources said the department had been suggested to change the passwords of the login IDs that were issued for entering the vaccination data.

Officials from the department said over 200 login IDs had been issued in the district to get an access of the Covid vaccination portal. The IDs were also shared with those private persons who had to be hired for few days, owing to the strike of health staff in last month, said the department. Sources said the person who made fake entries, must be possessing the login information to the vaccination portal.

According to the Health Department, there is a difference of thousands between the data available on the online portal and that with the Patiala Health Department. The vaccination count on the Central Government portal – CoWIN – is higher as compared to the state department’s data.

District Immunisation Officer Dr Veenu Goyal said the issue had already been brought into their notice and steps were being taken to stop such practice. She said: “There could be some beneficiaries, who get their entries put on the portal and did not got the vaccine.”

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