Nearly 100 people have been hospitalized with allergies after a group claiming to be in the army administered a vaccination program to workers at a garment factory in Dehiattakandiya, without informing the Medical Officer of Health, sources stated.
An employee of the garment factory told MediaLK that a signboard had been put up at the vaccination site saying, “Our heartfelt thanks to His Excellency the President and the Army Commander for taking action to provide Covid-19 vaccines to all our employees and staff.”
About 1,500 workers have been vaccinated, of which about 150 have developed allergies this morning, and about 100 have been hospitalized, health sources said. Health officials say this is a serious situation that cannot be considered lightly.
Dehiattakandiya Medical Officers’ Office has informed the higher health authorities that this program to provide Covid immunization vaccine was being held by a group claiming to be from the army, without the knowledge of the area medical officers’ office. However, hospital sources said that the program was conducted without any changes or interruptions.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 29,327 first-doses and 20,345 second-doses of the Sinopharm vaccine were administered yesterday. It is not known whether this number includes the number of injections in Dehiattakandiya, said a health chief in the district.
Hemantha Herath, Media Spokesman of the Ministry of Health stated that he was not aware of this. However, he said that he would look into the matter and take necessary action.
“We do not receive direct reports. These complaints are first received by the Epidemiologist Unit. Then they report to me. I have not received any such reports so far. I will look into this matter and take necessary actions,” he said.
Attempts to contact the Director General of Health Services Asela Gunawardena to inquire about this were unsuccessful.
