Fake coronavirus vaccination entries made under the names of Kulsoom Nawaz, late wife of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, and former finance minister Ishaq Dar in the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) – the government’s online portal for the issuance of vaccination certificates, has further put a question mark on the performance of the Punjab healthcare system, it emerged on Wednesday.
According to reports, a health department employee, Shamila Rasool, made the bogus entry for the administration of the first dose of the Cansino vaccine under the name of Kulsoom Nawaz at Gymnasium Mailsi, which serves as a vaccination centre in Vehari.
Another fake entry for the administration of the first dose of the same vaccine under the name of Ishaq Dar was made by Ashiq Hussain from the vaccination centre at the office of the Defence Housing Authority’s chief executive officer in Multan.
Last week, another fake entry under the name of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was made at a vaccination centre in Narowal. The first fake coronavirus vaccine entry under the name of former prime minister was made at the Government Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital on September 22.
The Punjab government had suspended the medical superintendent and senior medical officer of the Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital over fake entries.
On September 24, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested ward boy Adil Rafiq and guard Abul Hassan-employees at the Kot Khwaja Saeed Hospital, for making the first fake entry under the name of Nawaz Sharif.
The FIA had nominated Abdul Hassan and Adil Rafique in the FIR, stating that they used tab name/login of vaccinator Naveed Altaf to make bogus entry using the national identity card number of the former premier. The agency registered a case after an inquiry into the incident on the recommendations of the Punjab government.
According to documents available with daily Minute Mirror, the Primary and Secondary Healthcare had written a letter to the FIA Deputy Director (Cyber Crime Wing) in Multan, requesting him to take action against the fake entries and bring all those responsible to justice.
“The details of the vaccinators have been sent to the FIA Cyber wing for strict action against them,” said Imran Sikandar Baloch, Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare.
“One fake entry was made in Vehari and the other was made in Multan,” the secretary said, making it clear that there was no space for such people who made fake entries into the system. “I’m personally looking after the entire process to update the system and to make it foolproof,” said Baloch.
About making the vaccination system secure and foolproof, the secretary said that suggestions had been forwarded to the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC). “Every individual should work with diligence for the wellbeing of the public,” he added.
But a senior doctor working at a public sector hospital, seeking anonymity, said “fake entries were being made due to flaws in the system provided by the NCOC”. “There are flaws in the system and the health employees have nothing to do with that. They just need a national identity card number to upload data,” he said, pointing out that the fake entries had exposed a lack of coordination between NADRA and health authorities.
The doctor said that the NADRA officers should make entries in the National Immunisation Management System.
