Textile factory in Surat carries out vaccine drive for migrants after charging fee, says AAP

According to Jagdish Katheriya, Leader of Opposition in Kamrej Taluka Panchayat, he received an information that migrant labourers working in different factories in Pipodara GIDC have to pay Rs 100 to get the vaccination from a centre in a closed textile factory.

“The migrant workers were standing outside a textile factory nearby the temple in the GIDC. There were five people including two medical professionals, inside the room where Covaxin jabs were being administered. We started recording a video of the labourers who were out of the centre and paying Rs 100. Some of them told us that they had paid Rs 100 and also submitted a copy of their Aadhaar cards,” the AAP leader told The Indian Express.

“We went to the vaccination centre and asked the people there why they were charging for vaccines from the textile workers. Without giving answers they misbehaved with us and later shut their centre and went away. We also asked them whether they had received any permission from the district health department, to which they denied,” he added.

On Wednesday afternoon, Katheriya handed over a memorandum to District Development Officer D S Gadhvi and Chief Health Officer Hasmukh Chaudhary, demanding a probe into the incident. The AAP leaders have shared the video on social media.

D S Gadhvi said, “We have received the complaint and have ordered an inquiry into the incident. We will find out from where they had obtained those Covaxin doses and whether they possess any permission from the health department or not. If any irregularities are found, we will take legal actions.”

He added, “Generally the vaccine doses are given at government health centres for free, while private hospitals do charge for inoculation. Some private company owners also take vaccines for their workers.”

Dr. Hasmukh Chaudhary said, “We have not supplied vaccines to Pipodara GIDC centre. Even the health officers seen in the video are not our employees. In the probe, we will try to find out who had given them permission to start the vaccination drive.”