Umrah pilgrims irked by vaccine shortages, certification issues

• Saudi Arabia requires mandatory meningitis and polio vaccination.
• Meningitis out of stock, being sold in black for more than Rs10,000.
• Only DHOs authorised to update polio vaccination status in Nadra.
  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pilgrims who intend to embark on Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia are facing hurdles in obtaining necessary health certifications due to vaccine shortage, The News reported on Wednesday.

The Kingdom has enforced mandatory meningitis and polio vaccination requirements for Umrah pilgrims. However, meningitis vaccine is unavailable across the country, causing significant distress among prospective pilgrims, pharmacy owners, and officials confirmed.

Both companies (S) and (P)'s meningitis vaccines have been out of stock for weeks. This has led to black-market sales, with the vaccine being sold for over Rs10,000.

Despite skyrocketing demand, neither federal nor have provincial health authorities taken steps to address the shortage, further exacerbating the crisis.

Reports of counterfeit vaccines being administered have added to the chaos. Last week, fake vaccines were allegedly given to pilgrims at the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital in Islamabad.

"There is no system in place to regulate meningitis vaccine registration, and certificates are issued manually when people bring their vaccine," an official said, warning that this increases the risk of ineffective or counterfeit vaccines being used.

An official from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination confirmed the unavailability of meningitis vaccines nationwide and said: "People are now approaching the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for this vaccine, but it neither produces nor administers it."

Health experts have expressed concern about the authenticity of vaccines currently being administered and have called for immediate government intervention.

A senior official from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) said the meningitis vaccine was previously considered a "slow-moving" item, resulting in limited stock. However, the surge in demand following Saudi Arabia’s mandate has caused a nationwide shortage.

"Thousands of vials are expected to be imported next week to address the crisis," the official assured.

"Currently, over 13,000 vials are available across the country, but we have directed importers to bring in additional supplies to meet the growing demand."

The official also said that Drap is actively investigating reports of counterfeit vaccines and vowed to prosecute those involved in such practices.

Compounding the challenges for pilgrims is the cumbersome process of obtaining polio vaccination certificates. While oral polio vaccine (OPV) drops can be administered at any health facility, only District Health Officers (DHOs) are authorised to update the vaccination status in the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) system.

This bottleneck has caused long delays, as DHOs struggle to keep up with the high volume of certification requests.

"Polio isn't even NIH's responsibility, but they are being dragged into the certification process," a federal health ministry official said, suggesting that provincial governments should establish comprehensive mechanisms for travel-related vaccinations.

The additional Rs100 fee charged by Nadra for certification has further burdened pilgrims.

"From vaccine importers and retailers to certification issuers, pilgrims have become a source of profit for every institution in Pakistan," a health official lamented.

Health experts and officials from the Ministry of Religious Affairs have urged the federal health ministry to take swift action to address the vaccination crisis.

They emphasised the need to ensure the availability of authentic meningitis vaccines at affordable prices and called for improving the polio certification process.

Expanding the number of authorised personnel to issue and update certificates was also recommended to alleviate the backlog.

"A centralised and efficient vaccination system for meningitis, polio, and other travel-related requirements should be developed, with proper regulation and monitoring to prevent exploitation," an official suggested.

They also proposed waiving the Rs100 Nadra fee for polio vaccination certificates to ease the financial burden on pilgrims.

As the Umrah season progresses, the lack of planning and coordination has left thousands of pilgrims in distress.

Experts warn that without immediate intervention, the crisis will worsen, further complicating the journey for those fulfilling their religious obligations.