Imported Covid-19 vaccinations: Frontline workers top priority, PAC told

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was informed, on Thursday that frontline workers were the top priority of imported Covid-19 vaccinations.

Secretary Ministry of Health informed the committee that the federal government had devised a mechanism for vaccinations and an estimated 270,000 health workers had already been vaccinated.

He maintained that vaccination for the senior citizens would be started in the current month, adding that registration was underway in this regard.

He said that an awareness campaign would be launched in this regard soon, and added that a gigantic target is ahead to vaccinate 70 million population in the current year.

He said that private sector has yet to apply for the Covid-19 vaccine.

The committee directed the Secretary Health to write a letter to the chief secretaries for ensuring availability of anti-rabies vaccine in all the hospitals and health centers in the provinces. The committee examined the maximum five highlighted audit paras of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination involving highest amount. Chairman of the committee Rana Tanveer Hussain chaired the meeting.

The committee directed the ministry to conduct inquiry regarding issuance of medicines on fake chits, and fix responsibility on persons within one month.

The committee also sought further details. The committee was apprised that they checked 400 medical stores and found 82 fake medial chits. The committee was informed that the Pakistan Institute of Medial Sciences (PIMS) purchased medicines worth Rs899 million during financial year 2016-18 and as per policy distribution; the medicines were received in main store from the suppliers and entered in the stock register. The audit officials observed that all prescriptions were not issued by the doctors. Some fake prescriptions had been placed on record by the concerned distributors and produced to audit.

Some prescriptions did not bear the name, patients control number, doctor’s signature, stamp and name of OPD. Audit recommended inquiry to fix the responsibility. The Secretary Health said that the federal government had already ordered reform in PIMS to improve facilities.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021