NAKHON RATCHASIMA: Three people have received Pfizer's Covid-19 shots when they shouldn't have at Chalerm Phra Kiat Hospital, including the wife of the hospital's director, an investigation has found.
The probe was conducted after a list of people receiving the vaccines was shared online, drawing heavy criticism.
In addition to the wife of the hospital's director, who worked at a privately run clinic, the husband of the hospital’s pharmacy and consumer unit, who runs a drugstore, were among those who received the shots under the quota of Chalerm Phra Kiat Hospital in this northeastern province.
The shots, the first lot of mRNA vaccine Thailand has ever had, were distributed nationwide strictly for frontline workers. The batch was donated by the United States late last month.
Dr Narinrat Pitchayakhamin, chief of Nakhon Ratchasima public health office, set up a panel to look into the alleged misuse of the vaccine at the public hospital. Deputy provincial public health chief Wicharn Khidhen was appointed to head the panel.
Dr Wicharn said on Tuesday that the probe found three people who were not qualified to get the vaccine had received the shots.
They were the wife of the hospital director, the husband of the head of the hospital’s pharmacy and consumer protection unit, and an employee at his drugstore. He did not reveal the names.
All were called for questioning. They told the panel that they thought they were frontline staff, citing the nature of their work that put them at risk of contacting infected people, said the panel chairman.
He said he would send the report to the provincial public health chief for further action.
Dr Wicharn said 138 people had received Pfizer shots under the hospital’s quota. All but the three people were frontline medical workers.