ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has finalised its probe into the spoilage of vaccine worth Rs440 million at a warehouse of the National Institute of Health (NIH) and is waiting for the inquiry report of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) to initiate action against the officials responsible.

“The health ministry has promised that its report would be handed over to the FIA by Monday (May 11). We just want to compare the inquiry report of the ministry with our findings to avoid any disagreement between the government entities. On the basis of both the reports, we will go for the registration of the First Information Report (FIR) and arrest the responsible officials,” Director FIA Islamabad Inam Ghani told Dawn.

When contacted, Secretary Ministry of NHS Ayub Sheikh said they were simultaneously holding two inquiries: one into the negligence of the officials concerned and the second to ascertain if there was any criminal intention in the spoilage of the vaccine.

Read: Spoiled vaccines worth millions sealed in FIA raid

He said the completion of the two reports may take a few days but the reports would be sent to the FIA before the end of next week.

Official says the agency is waiting for another report from health ministry for corroboration before taking action against the responsible officials

“The ministry will take action against those found responsible for the negligence. However, those involved in any criminal activity will be handed over to the FIA for legal action,” Mr Sheikh added.

It may be mentioned that on April 27, an FIA team raided the warehouse of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) at the NIH and sealed vaccine worth Rs440 million.

The FIA stated that the team had found around 1,361,000 vials of pentavalent vaccine worth about Rs440 million, 11,800 polio vaccine vials valuing Rs3 million. Pentavalent is used to vaccinate children against five diseases, excluding polio.

The FIA said the vaccines, reportedly donated by the UN agency, were damaged due to the non-functioning of the air-conditioner. However, the health ministry claimed that the spoilage of the vaccines was already in its knowledge and a detailed inquiry had been launched.

The director FIA said during the investigation the health ministry cooperated with the agency and its officials concerned offered themselves for questioning. The ministry also said a fact-finding inquiry into the matter was being carried out.

“We have completed the investigation and are waiting for the report of the fact-finding committee. The ministry has assured us that the report would be handed over to the FIA by Monday.

“As per the FIA inquiry and investigation rules, a charge-sheet against the officials will be sent to the ministry before starting the process to arrest the responsible officials,” he said.

The secretary health added: “The first inquiry is being carried out to find out who was responsible for the negligence that led to the spoilage of the vaccine. The second inquiry will look into the correct number of the vaccine spoiled and their quality. Moreover, it will also be investigated if any vaccine was stolen or the spoiled vaccine vials matched with the record,” he said.

“It is yet to ascertain how much vaccine was spoiled because if the vaccine vial monitor (VVM) was in the first two stages it can be used and in case of third and fourth stages, it is always destroyed. The WHO and Unicef have been cooperating with us to protect the vaccine in future,” he said.

In reply to a question, Mr Sheikh said the ministry would take action against those found involved in negligence and hand over those found involved in any criminal activity to the FIA,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2015

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