Two sacked over Nawaz’s jab issue

16 arrested for fake entries of coronavirus vaccine across Punjab

LAHORE:

The Punjab health department on Friday suspended two officials over a fake Covid-19 vaccination entry on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif's CNIC in Lahore.

According to Express News, the department of specialised healthcare suspended medical superintendent Dr Ahmed Nadeem and senior medical officer Dr Munir Ahmad of Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital over the negligence, directing them to submit a report to the department.

Moreover, the additional principal and medical officer of Mian Munshi Hospital, Dr Muhammad Ijaz Butt, was transferred to the said hospital and was given the additional charge of the medical superintendent. The relevant department has also issued a notification of the appointment.

A day earlier, it was reported that the former prime minister, who has been living in London since 2019, received the first dose of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine at a medical facility in Lahore, according to his “fake vaccine” certificate available with The Express Tribune.

On the same day, taking notice of the development, the health department ordered an inquiry into the matter. According to the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department’s letter sent to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the bogus entry in the National Immunisation Management System was made from the aforementioned hospital.

As per the letter, which also contains the name of the vaccinator, the former premier was inoculated with the first jab on Wednesday (September 22) at 4:00 pm.

Read Nawaz Sharif’s ‘vaccination’

“It is hereby requested to kindly investigate and take necessary action against the fake entry on the name of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in the National Immunisation Management System,” the letter read.

Last month, The Express Tribune had reported that reports of fake vaccination certificates were surfacing across the country. Experts feared that, if left unattended, this could be the hole that ultimately sinks the ship of Pakistan’s fight against Covid-19.

Given said reports, authorities have taken action against more than four health department employees in Lahore while also cancelling certificates found to be illegally issued.

Meanwhile, 16 people have been arrested and 12 cases registered in eight cities so far. These cities include Sialkot, Vehari, Rahim Yar Khan, Lodhran, Lahore, Faisalabad, Chiniot and Multan.

The details emerged at the briefing during a meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal at the Civil Secretariat here on Friday. The meeting reviewed the corona pandemic, medical facilities in hospitals and pace of vaccination.

The chief secretary said the vaccination campaign is a national cause and those who register fake vaccines do not deserve any leniency. He directed the divisional commissioners to play their role in achieving the national goal by meeting the vaccination targets.

He mentioned that in extraordinary circumstances officers have to work harder to perform their duties.

Asking the officers to raise awareness about the importance and efficacy of the vaccine, the chief secretary said the only solution to ward off corona is the vaccination and implementation of SOPs.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2021.