As the coronavirus vaccination process in Pakistan picks up pace and the number of vaccinated citizens grows every day, one of the most common questions on people's minds is this: How do I get proof of vaccination/certificate of vaccination?

Dawn.com put together a simple guide about the process to get a vaccination certificate and what to do if something goes wrong.

How do I apply for a certificate?

To apply for the Covid-19 vaccination certificate online, you need to visit the National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) portal and enter the details of your computerised national identity card (CNIC).

The fee for the certificate — Rs100 — can be paid through your debit or credit card.

The website states that a certificate can also be downloaded if you have only been partially vaccinated.

Alternatively, you can visit a National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) centre to get your vaccination certificate.

In the next step, you have to enter your name as stated on your CNIC and your nationality.

Next, you have to enter your payment details.

Once the amount has been paid, you can download a receipt, verify your information and then voila! Your certificate is ready to be downloaded.

If you need to re-print the vaccination certificate, visit the NIMS website and re-enter your details. Instead of step 2 where it asks you to put in further information, it will take you directly to the re-print option.

How do I change my details?

According to NIMS, you can change certain information on your vaccination certificate — your name if there's a spelling error, passport number or nationality — by visiting the website and re-entering your details. It will then direct you to the page where you can click on the "modify data on certificate" option and re-enter your details correctly.

The rest of the process is similar: enter your card details, pay the Rs100 fee and download your certificate.

How do I get corrections done?

However, some people on social media have complained that other details in their certificates, such as the vaccine administered to them or the date of vaccination, are incorrect. There were also a few complaints by individuals who said they had only received their first jab but the NIMS certificate showed they were fully vaccinated.

Others complained that they had received their second dose but were unable to get their certificate because the records had not been updated. Dawn.com reached out to the National Health Ministry (NHS) to ask what should be done if this happens.

NHS spokesperson Sajid Shah told Dawn.com that "hundreds of complaints" had been made due to mistakes made by the keypunch operators. The mistakes could be rectified by submitting an application to the vaccination centre where the person got the vaccine administered or by lodging a complaint on the NIMS website, he added.

They could also contact the helpline — 1166, Shah said. The official suggested that people should also keep an eye on data entry as operators enter the data in front of them.

Sindh Health Department spokesperson Mehar Khursheed said that there were complaint desks at every vaccination centre in the province. In case of a mistake in data entry, citizens could reach out to the desks and they would review it on a case-to-case basis.

Additional input by Ikram Junaidi.