ISLAMABAD: While allegations are being made that counterfeit vaccines were being administered to travellers and pilgrims at the International Vaccination Centre (IVC), Polyclinic spokesperson has claimed that the hospital does not procure any vaccine for travellers.

“The fact is almost 70 to 80 people, intending to travel abroad, daily approach the IVC for the issuance of the international travel vaccination card. As we are not authorised to procure vaccines, so travellers purchase the vaccine from the open market and bring it to the IVC established in Polyclinic. We administer the vaccine, and after removing the sticker from the bottle of the vaccine, paste it on the vaccination card. Therefore, it is unfair to allege that the hospital is administering the counterfeit vaccines,” he said while briefing media persons.

Replying to a question, he said that after the allegations, the hospital administration decided to discontinue the service. However, later it was considered that by doing so, significant problems would be created for the travellers, therefore it was decided to keep the IVC open.

“To determine the efficacy and genuineness of the vaccine is beyond the scope of the hospital. Furthermore, no adverse reaction has been reported after getting such service from Polyclinic,” he said.

It is worth mentioning here that recently the federal drug inspector found that people intending to travel to Saudi Arabia were purchasing counterfeit vaccines from the open market. These vaccines were being administered in Polyclinic as IVC was established there and people get the vaccination card from the hospital.

When contacted a senior officer of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), wishing not to be named, said it was a fact that a counterfeit vaccine was being sold in the federal capital.

“The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and the federal drug inspectors are responsible to take action against the medical stores of the federal capital which are involved in selling the counterfeit vaccine. On the other hand, Polyclinic staff cannot identify the counterfeit vaccine, so there are strong chances that if vaccines would be sold in the open market, it would be administered to international travellers,” he said.

“However, as Polyclinic, Drap and federal drug inspectors are all under the health ministry, it has become difficult for us to put the responsibility on any one of them,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025