Karachi: Border Health Services (BHS) Pakistan has temporarily suspended vaccination for Umrah pilgrims at its site near Karachi’s old airport amid reports that three of its officials had been taken into custody, officials said on Tuesday.
A member of the prime minister’s inquiry committee told vitalsnews that former BHS director Murtaza Shah had been detained by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The were also reports of detention of BHS Director Dr Abid Shah and former director Pardeep Kumar but it could not be independently confirmed.
Ministry of National Health Services spokesperson Syed Sajid Hussain Shah said some BHS officials might be under FIA investigation, but neither he nor the ministry had information that any of them had been detained or formally arrested.
A notice outside the vaccination site said the process had been temporarily suspended. BHS officials also confirmed that vaccination for Umrah pilgrims had stopped, but did not say when the service would resume.
The suspension comes after the prime minister’s inquiry committee recommended cancelling the BHS vaccine procurement process and initiating it afresh. A committee member said the recommendation followed findings that procurement rules and Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) requirements had not been met.
The committee questioned BHS officials for more than five hours on Saturday about the tender and procurement of vaccines for Haj and Umrah pilgrims. Formed on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, it was tasked with examining the procurement of meningococcal and influenza vaccines, their prices and the contract’s financial arrangements.
The controversy has also centred on the reported collection of Rs4,500 from each pilgrim for meningococcal and influenza vaccines, polio drops and certification.
Officials familiar with the proceedings said the committee reviewed records concerning alleged overhead charges of Rs700 to Rs1,000, as well as claims that “manual” vaccination cards were issued to travellers for cash. These claims remain subject to the inquiry.
BHS representatives maintained during the proceedings that the procurement was transparent and complied with relevant rules, officials said. They also said the money collected was deposited in the national exchequer and certificates were issued through the National Immunisation Management System.
Seven pharmaceutical and vaccine companies have challenged the procurement in the Islamabad High Court. They allege that the public-private partnership tender attracted only one bidder and that eligible competitors were denied a fair opportunity. The court has issued notices to respondents and sought the procurement record. The claims have yet to be adjudicated.
The controversy also involves the inclusion of influenza vaccine in the package. Saudi Arabia’s published health requirements for Pakistani Umrah pilgrims list meningococcal and polio vaccination, but not seasonal influenza vaccination. Polio vaccination is also available free through Pakistan’s public immunisation programmes.
The committee was also tasked with examining the legal basis and approvals for the partnership, bidding documents, vaccine quantities, prices and revenue-sharing arrangements. Its members include the Intelligence Bureau director general, the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan chief executive, an Attorney General’s Office representative and the PPRA managing director, who is also the committee secretary.
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