Travel requirement: FIA, CAA to deliberate strategy for polio vaccination certificates
Officials raise questions over why certificates were issued by polio teams not health officials.
The government had issued instructions to not allow passengers to travel unless they are carrying the certificate. STOCK IMAGE
PESHAWAR:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials will hold a meeting on Monday to devise a suitable strategy to issue polio certificates to passengers travelling abroad from Bacha Khan International Airport.
According to a CAA official, health department officials have also been asked to attend the meeting.
Down with the virus
In 2014, a joint statement was issued by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, urging all Pakistanis travelling abroad to carry polio vaccination certificates. The decision was taken to prevent polio from spreading to other parts of the world.
The government had issued instructions to not allow passengers to travel unless they are carrying the certificate. Following these guidelines, the provincial health department deputed polio vaccination teams at the airport to immunise passengers and issue certificates on an emergency basis if the traveller had failed to obtain one from a hospital.
However, on April 24, FIA officials demanded an explanation over why certificates were issued by polio teams rather than doctors at the airport, insiders told The Express Tribune. As a result, the polio team stopped administering polio drops to passengers.
“Some passengers were even taken off from planes,” a CAA official said. “This is an important matter which will be taken up with the relevant officials.” He said senior FIA officials have pressed for the issue of certificate issuance to be resolved with immediate effect.
Another CAA official said the polio vaccination team was deputed to assist passengers since many were not aware that they needed a vaccination certificate. “People from the tribal areas have no access to television or newspapers and do not know they need to carry the certificate,” he said. “I hope this matter is resolved as soon as possible.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2015.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) officials will hold a meeting on Monday to devise a suitable strategy to issue polio certificates to passengers travelling abroad from Bacha Khan International Airport.
According to a CAA official, health department officials have also been asked to attend the meeting.
Down with the virus
In 2014, a joint statement was issued by the Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, urging all Pakistanis travelling abroad to carry polio vaccination certificates. The decision was taken to prevent polio from spreading to other parts of the world.
The government had issued instructions to not allow passengers to travel unless they are carrying the certificate. Following these guidelines, the provincial health department deputed polio vaccination teams at the airport to immunise passengers and issue certificates on an emergency basis if the traveller had failed to obtain one from a hospital.
However, on April 24, FIA officials demanded an explanation over why certificates were issued by polio teams rather than doctors at the airport, insiders told The Express Tribune. As a result, the polio team stopped administering polio drops to passengers.
“Some passengers were even taken off from planes,” a CAA official said. “This is an important matter which will be taken up with the relevant officials.” He said senior FIA officials have pressed for the issue of certificate issuance to be resolved with immediate effect.
Another CAA official said the polio vaccination team was deputed to assist passengers since many were not aware that they needed a vaccination certificate. “People from the tribal areas have no access to television or newspapers and do not know they need to carry the certificate,” he said. “I hope this matter is resolved as soon as possible.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2015.