Falsification of Covid-19 test emerges in Bihar

Patna: Falsification of Covid-19 tests have emerged in Bihar with 1,131 such persons found having irregularity in their registered mobile numbers entered by the data operators.

A maximum of 595 such distorted Covid reports have appeared in Patna.

Patna Civil Surgeon, Vibha Kumari, has terminated three data operators for their negligence.

Such an irregularity was found during the first wave of Covid-19 pandemic as well when large numbers of test reports were found having ‘0000000000’ entered as mobile numbers.

Kumari has confirmed the development as action has been taken at the ministerial level.

Sources have said the alleged data operators were forced to add ‘0000000000’ as mobile numbers on the reports of Covid tests of several people.

The departmental enquiry further revealed that the operators have maintained registered mobile numbers of Covid patients in the register but they did not fill the same data on the computer.

Such an irregularity was investigated by a senior Health official of the sub-division hospital. The alleged operators have been identified as Megha Kumari, Vivek Kumar and Manish Kumar, all of whom are contractual employees working under different outsourcing companies.

The health ministry has issued strong advisory for other data operators to work efficiently and avoid callous attitude at workplace.

Besides, the ministry has also threatened to cancel the contract of the company if irregularities were detected in future.