In a letter posted on Twitter, He, Inez Gonzalez Garcia said that individuals were able to sidestep proper procedure for vaccines due to quote unintended confusion in his office while he was away.

But a veteran journalist told a local radio station that he received a shot after speaking directly with the minister, just one of the least 10 people reported to have received a vaccination without following the procedure.

Two presidential sources say President Alberto Fernandez demanded Garcia's resignation following the reports.

The scandal shines a spotlight on fears over the region's corruption is well as access to vaccines, which are in short supply.

Earlier this month, Peru's health and foreign ministers quit after reports of hundreds of Peruvian officials receiving vaccine doses outside of clinical trials.

Since December, Argentina has been using Russia's Sputnik V vaccine to inoculate frontline health workers.