Doctor suspended for vaccinating 2 citizens

Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazl Pechuho ordered on Sunday suspension of East district health officer Dr Aneela Qureshi, who was deployed at Covid-19 vaccination Centre at the Dow University of Health Sciences’ (DUHS’) Ojha campus, after two common citizens were reportedly inoculated at the facility.

The photos of both the citizens, shared by them on social media, have gone viral.

It is alleged that the said citizens, said to have been vaccinated on Saturday, are the daughter and son-in-law of a politician.

Sindh emergency operation centre coordinator for immunisation and polio in Karachi Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi has been tasked with inquiring into the matter and submitting a report within the next three days.

Taking notice of the incident, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar tweeted: “A complaint has been received that Covid-19 vaccine is being administered to not just health workers in Karachi, but also acquaintances. Taking immediate notice, [special assistant to the prime minister on health] Dr Faisal Sultan chaired a meeting today (Sunday), attended by the National Command and Operation Centre team and representatives of the Sindh government. In the meeting, it was stressed that only health workers are to be inoculated.”

Meanwhile, the DUHS spokesperson stated that the suspended doctor was not employed at the facility.

Separately, according to a statement issued by the Sindh health department on Thursday, a total of 7,349 health workers in Sindh were vaccinated by then. In the metropolis, 1,192 healthcare professionals were vaccinated at Khaliq Dina Hall, 462 at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, 558 at DUHS’ Ojha Campus, 551 at Sindh Government Qatar Hospital Orangi, 255 at Sindh Government Hospital New Karachi, 615 at Sindh Government Hospital Liaquatabad, 268 at Sindh Government Children Hospital, 722 at Sindh Government Hospital Korangi No5 and 881 at Malir Hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2021.