Texas doctor fired for using remaining Covid-19 vaccine doses sues county for discrimination

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Gokal was a Harris County Public Health Medical Advisor (HCPH) and was involved in the first vaccine distribution in the county on December 29, 2020, according to the Harris County lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The Gokal vaccine distribution site was overseeing the shutdown with 10 doses of Covid-19 vaccine left in an already opened vial. Gokal first asked people at the site if they wanted to be vaccinated, according to the lawsuit, but most had already received the vaccine.

Gokal then called an HCPH superior and informed him that he would find people to administer the vaccine to, and the superior upheld his decision, according to the lawsuit.

The doctor then contacted as many people as he could to find eligible recipients for the remaining doses, according to the lawsuit.

Texas doctor accused of stealing Covid-19 vaccine vial was trying to use leftover doses, lawyer says

“I did what any doctor would do, which is take resources for patients and people and give them to them instead of throwing them away. And that’s why it was so infuriating,” he said. Gokal said, according to a statement from his lawyer’s office.

His lawyer at the time, Paul Doyle, said Gokal vaccinated several eligible people, including his wife, who suffered from an underlying health problem, after another person who was going to receive the vaccine suddenly said that it was not available, CNN reported earlier this year.

Gokal was informed by HCPH human resources that he “had not ‘distributed’ the vaccine ‘fairly’ and that Dr Gokal had given the vaccine to too many people with ‘Indian’ sounding names,” the lawsuit says. .

HCPH also told Gokal that he “should have thrown out the vaccines instead,” according to the lawsuit.

“It is very clear that if he had vaccinated people named Anderson, Smith and Jones, he would have been called a hero and would not have been fired, charged, vilified and brought before a grand jury which thankfully refused to accept it. indict, “Gokal’s lawyer Joe Ahmad said. said in the press release.

HCPH “violated” Gokal’s rights “by exonerating and otherwise discriminating against him on the basis of his South Asian race and Pakistani national origin,” the lawsuit says.

“Gokal not only suffered loss of wages and past and previous wages, but also other pecuniary losses, emotional pain, suffering, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life,” the lawsuit said.

CNN has contacted the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for comment, but has not received a response. Harris County Public Health said it is not commenting on the lawsuit.

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