Expired Vaccine Scandal: Telangana Human Rights Commission, Led by Justice Dr. Shameem Akther, Upholds Right to Health and Orders Compensation and Accountability
(Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
Hyderabad, 17, July, 2025-The Telangana Human Rights Commission, led by Hon’ble Dr. Justice Shameem Akther, has issued a landmark order in cases HRC Nos. 3464/2014 and 4350/2015, addressing the administration of expired Hepatitis-B vaccines to multiple patients at Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad. The Commission condemned the incident as a grave breach of the victims’ fundamental rights to health and dignity, citing systemic negligence and administrative failure.
The Commission’s Chairman further said that “Be that as it may. The report submitted by the Superintendent, Gandhi Hospital, Secunderabad, in HRC No.3464 of 2014 do not inspire confidence and does not satisfactorily address the core issue of administering expired vaccines to the complainants. The explanation that they were two different expiry dates on the vaccines does not absolve the responsibility of the doctor. It is the basic and non-negotiable duty of every medical officer to verify the validity of the drug before administering it to the patient. Claiming oversight in such a sensitive matter is unacceptable, particularly when it directly concerns the safety of the patients. Furthermore, the assertion that the vaccines is of low potency and hence would not cause side effects is medically unfounded and undermines the seriousness of the issue. Furthermore, the attempt to shift the onus onto the manufacturer and dealer, without fixing the accountability within the hospital system, reflects a systemic failure. 5 Though doctor Dr. V.Tara Devi was later suspended from service; mere suspension does not absolve the liability of the authorities or the institution in granting adequate compensation to the affected individuals. The suspension of the erring doctor, at best, is a disciplinary action, but it cannot be viewed as a comprehensive remedy for the physical suffering and mental trauma underwent by the complainants. Valuable human rights of the complainants have been seriously affected by this incident. The complainants’ right to health, which is an integral part of right to life, has been severely jeopardized, they were subjected to unsafe and negligent medical practices leading to physical complications, severe health issues and mental anguish. Furthermore, failure to ensure safe medical treatment has violated their right to dignity, bodily integrity and freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment.”
In a decisive move under Section 18(a)(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the Commission recommended disciplinary action against responsible officials, including the hospital’s Superintendent. It also directed the Government of Telangana to compensate each affected individual with ₹1,25,000 and to implement urgent reforms in the procurement and administration of medicines. All recommendations are to be executed within two months.
