56-year-old health worker dies week after inoculation

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, January 22

A 56-year-old health worker vaccinated on January 16 died here suddenly on Friday. The incident has created panic among the frontline warriors of the district undergoing Covid immunisation.

Rajwanti, a health worker in Bhangrola primary health centre (PHC), died on Friday morning without any evident reason. The family has blamed the Covid immunisation for the death and the authorities concerned ordered the post-mortem examination of the deceased. The report has, according to sources, not confirmed the cause of death so far and the viscera has been sent for investigation.

Meanwhile, the Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) committee has started an investigation into the death.

Autopsy rules out accusations

We don’t suspect vaccination to be the cause of the death as the deceased had no adverse signs or symptoms for six days. Even the autopsy report doesn't corroborate the family's accusations. The viscera report is awaited and further probe is on.- Dr Virender Yadav, CMO Gurugram

“We have reported the death to the authorities concerned. We don’t suspect vaccination to be the reason behind the death as the deceased had no adverse signs or symptoms for six days...further probe is on,” said Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Virender Yadav.

Speaking to The Tribune, deceased’s husband Lal Singh said she slept fine at night but didn’t wake up. “We are in shock. She got the injection on January 16 and was completely fine. She had no co-morbidity. We had dinner last night after which she slept. She did not wake up at her usual time today and when we checked, we found her dead,” Lal Singh said.

The family has alleged that she was reluctant to get vaccinated and wanted to get it in the second or third round but was asked to go for it as she was already registered.

“She was a Covid warrior who didn’t take even a single leave during the crisis and died due to vaccination. We have got no call from any official since morning,” he added.

Meanwhile, the family have lodged a police complaint in this regard on Friday evening.