Vaccination Programme at 2 CCC Centres: Red Crescent withdraws volunteers over irregularity

Allegations are rife over the mishandling of Covid vaccinations at some centres in the port city. The situation has become so convoluted in fact, that Bangladesh Red Crescent Society has withdrawn their volunteers from two vaccination centres run by Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), protesting irregularities in their vaccine programmes.

Sources said the organisation withdrew its members from CCC General Hospital on Wednesday and from Safa Motaleb Maternity Hospital at Mohara area on Thursday.

Contacted, Iftekher Hossain Imu, chief of Youth Red Crescent, Chattogram, said they withdrew their members after coming across irregularities by a section of CCC staffers in these centres. Imu said they have seen various staffers prioritise vaccine-seekers in exchange of Tk 500 to Tk 1,000 for each person.

The same situation prevailed in CCC General Hospital, said Imu. "It got so bad that vaccine-seekers besieged the centre one day. All CCC staffers fled the centre, but our volunteers stayed and called 999. Police came in later and brought the situation under control."

"Here's the problem. The people might start associating our volunteers with the irregularities. Why will we take the liability of CCC staffers' misdeeds?" Imu asked.

"We do not have any problem with the centres run by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Our issues are with the two CCC-run centres," said Imu.

Contacted, Dr Sheikh Fazle Rabbi, civil surgeon of Chattogram, said, "As the two centres are run by CCC, I have passed it on to their health department, which will look into it."

Despite repeated attempts, CCC chief health officer Dr Selim Akter Chowdhury could not be reached for comments over the phone.

Contacted, CCC Mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said he was not aware of the issue.

"I have asked CCC health officials about the allegations on different occasions. They said the allegations aren't true. It's possible that some people are spreading propaganda."

The mayor said, "I have already instructed our health department to not spare anyone if the allegations turn out to be true."

It is worth mentioning that CCC formed a probe body on August 10 to investigate into a prior incident of vaccine mishandling on August 9. Although the committee was asked to submit a report within two working days, it is yet to start investigation.

CCC executive magistrate Jahanara Ferdous, also a member of the probe committee, said the probe was delayed due to unavoidable reasons, but are hoping to launch it soon.

CCC did suspend Bishu Dey, health staffer at CCC Mostafa Hakim Maternity, after a case was filed against him over misappropriating vaccines from the centre and administering them outside in exchange for money.

Around 600 members of Youth Red Crescent are volunteering in the vaccination centres in the city and upazilas of the district.