COVID-19: Karnataka Health Official Suspended for Shoddy Screening

The official remained seated and pointed the temperature gun at passengers while talking on the phone.

Arun Dev
India
Updated:
Picture for representation purposes only. 
i
Picture for representation purposes only. 
(Photo: AP)

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Hours after a video of the incident went viral, the Karnataka government suspended a health department official for not conducing COVID-19 screening properly. The suspension was announced by Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramalu on twitter. He said disciplinary action was taken after the viral video came to the government’s attention.

The health department official was deployed at Tumkur railway station after the government decided to increase preparedness against COVID-19 across the state.

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In the video, the official, who is yet to be named by the health department, is seen seated, talking on the telephone and randomly raising the temperature gun instead of following the standard operating procedures.

“He has been suspended for negligence and dereliction of duty. Doctors and other healthcare workers are working night and day for the people. In such times, such negligence should be contemned,” tweeted the Health Minister.

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Published: 21 Mar 2020,03:34 PM IST

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