Sindh govt suspends health official after Zubair Umar's family get Covid vaccine shot

KARACHI: Sindh government on Sunday suspended BPS-18 Deputy District Officer Health Dr. Annela Quershi over violation of SOPs during the administration of Covid-19 vaccine at Dow Ojha Campus vaccination center, ARY News reported.

As per details, the Sindh government took action and suspended DDO District East, Karachi Dr. Annela Qureshi after reports circulated on social media that families of politicians being administered Covid vaccine jabs in Sindh.

The government has formed an inquiry committee under the supervision of Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi to probe the Covid vaccination matter and submit a report within three working days.

According to reports, former Sindh governor and PML-N leader Mohammad Zubair’s daughter and son in law got Covid vaccine in Karachi which was provided by the federal government to Sindh for frontline healthcare workers.

Read More: Coronavirus claims 32 more lives, infects 399 in Sindh

Taking to Twitter, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill also criticised the PPP-led Sindh government for administering China’s Sinopharm vaccine to politicians and their families.

وہ مافیا جس نے کرونا پر سب سے زیادہ سیاست کی
آج بھی انہیں فرنٹ لائن ہیلتھ ورکرز سے زیادہ اشرافیہ کی فکر ہے

فرنٹ لائن ہیلتھ ورکرز سے پہلےوفاق کی طرف سے دی جانے والی ویکسین کیا سیاسی خاندانوں کی فیملیوں کو لگائی جا رہی ہے؟
پھر مراد علی شاہ کہتے ہیں ہم کسی کو جواب دہ نہیں- شرمناک pic.twitter.com/jHgDepaWLU

— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) February 7, 2021

Federal Minister for Planning and Development and NCOC head, Asad Umar in a tweet said that the forum has received complaints regarding the administration of Covid vaccine to other than frontline healthcare workers in Karachi.

He said that NCOC took strict notice and told the provincial government to only administer Covid vaccine to frontline healthcare workers.

“Sindh government representatives were firmly told to ensure that the vaccine is only given to healthcare workers,” he said.

شکایت موصول ہوئی تھیں کے کرونا ویکسین کراچی میں ہیلتھ کیئر ورکرز کے علاوہ جان پہچان والوں کو لگائ جا رہی ہیں. فوری نوٹس لیتے ہوئے آج NCOC کی ٹیم کی فیصل سلطان کی سربراہی میں سندھ حکومت کے نمائندوں سے میٹنگ میں سختی سے صرف ہیلتھ ورکرز کی ویکسینیشن کی تاکید کی گئ.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) February 7, 2021

It is pertinent to mention here that Sindh has administered corona vaccine to overall 7,349 frontline workers so far, as provincial health department released the data of the vaccination drive across the province.

Also Read: Pakistan likely to get second tranche of Sinopharm vaccine

According to the health department figures, during the vaccination drive for the frontline health workers, 1,192 anti-viral vaccine shots administered at Karachi’s Khaliq Dina Hall vaccination centre, 462 health workers received jabs at Jinnah Hospital, 558 vaccine shots at Dow University Ojha Campus, 551 vaccine shots at Qatar Hospital Orangi, 255 vaccine jabs at Sindh Government Hospital, New Karachi, while 615 frontline workers were vaccinated at Liaquatabad Hospital in Karachi.

Moreover, 268 anti-viral vaccine shots were administered to health workers at the Children Hospital, New Karachi, 722 workers vaccinated at Sindh Govt. Hospital, Korangi, 881 health workers were administered Covid vaccine at Urban Health Unit, Thaddo Nalo in Malir.