Special souvenirs: Instead of postcards, take polio cards on your way out of Pakistan
All those travelling from country, regardless of duration of stay, must get immunisation certificates.
A Pakistani health worker administers polio vaccine drops to a child at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. All those travelling from the country will now have to get yellow polio certificates issued by the EPI (below) in order to be allowed to travel. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
The health authorities have once again advised international travellers to get their polio certificates only from public sector hospitals as the certificates being issued by private hospitals are not being accepted at the airports.
A lack of information
Dozens of families could be seen lined up at the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) head office situated near Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) to get information on the polio certificate, which is now being printed on a yellow card, as compared to the white paper that was used before.
"I got a certificate from a private hospital but one of my cousins informed me that it is not being accepted at the airport," informed a passenger planning to fly to Canada. She told The Express Tribune that it was difficult for her to find out which hospitals and centres are issuing polio certificates that are accepted at the airports. "Finally, I have come to the right place," she said with a relieved smile as the officials at the EPI head office provided her the certificate after administering a couple of polio drops.
The information you require
The EPI deputy project director for Sindh, Dr Durre Naz Jamal, said that those passengers who cannot find a hospital or EPI centre near their residence can get the certificate from Jinnah International Airport.
"There are two booths at the airport; one is set up by the Sindh government and the other one by the Civil Aviation Authority," Dr Jamal revealed, adding that both booths are issuing certificates to international passengers after administering the polio drops.
She also confirmed that only those certificates are being accepted that are issued by public hospitals. "We are providing certificates free of charge so there is no reason for anyone to not get an authentic certificate from the approved hospitals and centres," she added. "All passengers who want to go abroad should immediately get their polio certificates, even if they plan to travel after a month."
Dr Jamal said that even though the certificates are being provided to the people who are scheduled to go abroad within the next few days, it is still advisable to get the certificate at least four weeks before the departure date.
She went on to say that the drops need to be administered via the mouth, rather than through an injection. "Everyone is administered drops as per the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommendations," she said.
One of the passengers, who planned to go to Bangkok along with her elderly mother, showed a certificate obtained by an international organisation from Bangkok and asked an EPI official if the certificate is accepted. "You should get one from us as well," came the reply.
All passengers, regardless of their nationality, have to get the certificate. "If their passport is stamped in Pakistan, then they need to get the card," Dr Jamal confirmed to The Express Tribune.
The travellers are being advised to bring their passports when they visit any hospital or centre for the certificate as the passengers will be asked to provide its details. Those passengers who have a dual nationality should bring both the passports and should mention their passport numbers on the certificate. Even pregnant women are not exempted from the vaccinations as per the WHO guidelines.
The health authorities then keep a photocopy of the signed card for their record and issue a valid registration number in it. The validity of the 'yellow certificate' is for one year from the date of issuance.
The places providing the recognised certificates
You can get the immunisation cards from the town health offices located in 18 towns of the city. The office of the executive district health officer situated in Civic Centre and the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) head office located near Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) are also issuing the certificates. JPMC, Civil hospital, Services Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Lyari General Hospital, Qatar Hospital and all other government hospitals where a medical superintendent is appointed are issuing polio cards on the directives of the provincial health authorities. All hospitals, except for the EPI head office, issue the certificates from 9am to 4pm, while the EPI head office issues them from 9am to 12pm. The health authorities have advised international passengers to get their certificates from district health offices, district civil hospitals or the EPI centres.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2014.
The health authorities have once again advised international travellers to get their polio certificates only from public sector hospitals as the certificates being issued by private hospitals are not being accepted at the airports.
A lack of information
Dozens of families could be seen lined up at the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) head office situated near Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) to get information on the polio certificate, which is now being printed on a yellow card, as compared to the white paper that was used before.
"I got a certificate from a private hospital but one of my cousins informed me that it is not being accepted at the airport," informed a passenger planning to fly to Canada. She told The Express Tribune that it was difficult for her to find out which hospitals and centres are issuing polio certificates that are accepted at the airports. "Finally, I have come to the right place," she said with a relieved smile as the officials at the EPI head office provided her the certificate after administering a couple of polio drops.
The information you require
The EPI deputy project director for Sindh, Dr Durre Naz Jamal, said that those passengers who cannot find a hospital or EPI centre near their residence can get the certificate from Jinnah International Airport.
"There are two booths at the airport; one is set up by the Sindh government and the other one by the Civil Aviation Authority," Dr Jamal revealed, adding that both booths are issuing certificates to international passengers after administering the polio drops.
She also confirmed that only those certificates are being accepted that are issued by public hospitals. "We are providing certificates free of charge so there is no reason for anyone to not get an authentic certificate from the approved hospitals and centres," she added. "All passengers who want to go abroad should immediately get their polio certificates, even if they plan to travel after a month."
Dr Jamal said that even though the certificates are being provided to the people who are scheduled to go abroad within the next few days, it is still advisable to get the certificate at least four weeks before the departure date.
She went on to say that the drops need to be administered via the mouth, rather than through an injection. "Everyone is administered drops as per the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommendations," she said.
One of the passengers, who planned to go to Bangkok along with her elderly mother, showed a certificate obtained by an international organisation from Bangkok and asked an EPI official if the certificate is accepted. "You should get one from us as well," came the reply.
All passengers, regardless of their nationality, have to get the certificate. "If their passport is stamped in Pakistan, then they need to get the card," Dr Jamal confirmed to The Express Tribune.
The travellers are being advised to bring their passports when they visit any hospital or centre for the certificate as the passengers will be asked to provide its details. Those passengers who have a dual nationality should bring both the passports and should mention their passport numbers on the certificate. Even pregnant women are not exempted from the vaccinations as per the WHO guidelines.
The health authorities then keep a photocopy of the signed card for their record and issue a valid registration number in it. The validity of the 'yellow certificate' is for one year from the date of issuance.
The places providing the recognised certificates
You can get the immunisation cards from the town health offices located in 18 towns of the city. The office of the executive district health officer situated in Civic Centre and the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI) head office located near Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) are also issuing the certificates. JPMC, Civil hospital, Services Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Lyari General Hospital, Qatar Hospital and all other government hospitals where a medical superintendent is appointed are issuing polio cards on the directives of the provincial health authorities. All hospitals, except for the EPI head office, issue the certificates from 9am to 4pm, while the EPI head office issues them from 9am to 12pm. The health authorities have advised international passengers to get their certificates from district health offices, district civil hospitals or the EPI centres.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2014.