SHCC warns against charging fee for COVID vaccination

KARACHI: Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) has warned against charging fees for COVID vaccination in the province, saying that any money received in this regard is illegal, ARY NEWS reported.

In a bid to create awareness among the masses, the provincial healthcare commission said that they have received reports that certain people have been receiving illegal money against the vaccination.

“The COVID vaccination is being carried out free of cost,” the SHCC said and warned that anyone caught charging any fee would be dealt with in a strict manner.

Irregularities related to COVID vaccination has been reported previously and recently two people- a sanitary worker and a data entry operator- working at Karachi Expo Centre have been arrested after being caught red-handed providing vaccination slips to people without receiving COVID jabs.

According to an FIR registered with Aziz Bhatti police station by the Karachi Expo Centre supervisor, the complainant was supervising the COVID vaccination process on Thursday night when he spotted a cleaner with a man.

Upon inquiry, it emerged that data entry operator Akhter Ali was carrying NICs of 22 people and slips of COVID vaccination, it said adding that Ali later revealed that he used to make illegal vaccination slips in return for monetary benefits with the help of the sanitary worker.

The FIR alleged that 14 vaccination slips and 15 NICs were also recovered from the possession of Shahbaz Masih. “Overall, we have recovered 37 NIC copies and 18 vaccination slips from their possession,” the supervisor said.