KARACHI, April 17: Seventy per cent of Pakistanis travelling abroad bear sham vaccination cards, which in turn cause embarrassment or inconvenience to them at airports.

A source in the airport health centre, which is managed by the federal health ministry, said though no deportation of Pakistani passengers had been reported so far it was in the interest of people to ensure administration of needed vaccines before leaving abroad, particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and African countries.

It is learnt that visitors to Saudi Arabia are required to take meningitis vaccines, while those visiting African countries needed to take yellow fever vaccines.

There are three public sector vaccination centres in Karachi, one each at the airport, the seaport and the central health establishment directorate in Saddar, which are qualified to administer the vaccines on payment as per government’s approved rates, but generally passengers prefer tour operators to make all such arrangements.

Those who visit the African countries by skipping the jabs are caught finally at the time of re-entry at the port. Among other requirements, they are also required to undergo a weeklong observation, as part of the efforts to check any in-transmission of virus, the sources added, saying that any formal system for checking the vaccinations in outgoing passengers was yet to be ensured.

Airport Health Officer Dr Liaquat Ali Bhutto told Dawn that there was need to educate people regarding vaccination and its importance and save them from falling prey to agents.

He advised passengers proceeding to Saudi Arabia or African countries to take vaccines against meningitis or yellow fever, as the case may be, from the approved centres of the health ministry and acquire the relevant certificate before going abroad. Yellow fever certificate remained valid for 10 years after vaccination while the validity of meningitis certificate was two years, he added.

Dr Bhutto asked travel agents and tour operators to advise their passengers/visitors for inoculation of yellow fever and meningitis from government centres. The airport health centre works from 8am to 2pm on weekdays.

He warned if any passenger was found having fake certificate at the time of boarding his or her case would be referred to the authorities concerned for legal action against travel agents and tour operators.