Kim Ogg, DA, fired by Harris County health doctor accused of stealing COVID-19 vaccine

A Harris County physician for public health is accused of stealing a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced in a press release Thursday.

Officials said that dr. Hasan Gokal stole the nine-dose vial while working at the province’s vaccination center at Lyndsay Lyons Park in Humble on 29 December 2020.

A week later, he told a public health worker in Harris County who then reported him to supervisors.

According to Harris County Public Health, the misuse of the vaccine could lead to the loss of government funding for the country, which led to an investigation into the allegation.

Gokal was subsequently dismissed.

Then Judge Lina Hidalgo of Harris County and Christian Menefee, provincial attorney, contacted prosecutors.

“He abused his position to put his friends and family in line in front of people who had gone through the legal process of being there,” Ogg said. “What he did was illegal and he will be held accountable by law.”

Officials said Gokal disregards provincial protocols to ensure the vaccine is not wasted but administered to vulnerable populations and frontline workers on a waiting list.

Gokal faces a Class A offense, which carries a fine of up to one year in prison and a fine of $ 4,000. He is being prosecuted by the Harris County District Attorney’s Division of Public Corruption.

Paul Doyle, Gokal’s lawyer, issued a statement on Wednesday:

Dr. Gokal is a dedicated government official who has ensured that the dose of COVID-19 vaccine that would otherwise have expired goes into the arms of people who meet the criteria to receive it. Harris County would prefer that dr. Gokal let go of the vaccines and tried to diminish the man’s reputation for supporting this policy. We look forward to our day in court to correct this wrong.