Punjab suspends two health officials over Nawaz Sharif's fake vaccination

At least two top health officials of Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital have been suspended by the Punjab government in a case related to the entry of fake Covid vaccination data of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Aaj News reported on Friday.

The suspended officials are Medical Superintendent (MS) Ahmed Nadeem and senior doctor Munir Ahmed. Both officers have been directed to report to the health department immediately.

Moreover, cases have been registered against three employees of the hospital involved in the fake entry of the coronavirus vaccination. Two suspects nominated in the FIR, Abul Hassan and Adil, have been arrested.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the police have registered separate cases in this regard.

The FIA cybercrime wing, in its initial probe, stated that the hospital's watchman Abul Hassan and ward boy Adil used the ID of third employee Naveed to enter fake data of Nawaz Sharif into the system.

The background

Earlier, a fake coronavirus vaccine entry using former premier Nawaz Sharif’s name was unearthed in the National Immunization Management System (NIMS) here at the Government Kot Khawaja Saeed Hospital on September 22, which spread alarm among health authorities.

As per the fake entry in NIMS, Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London, got his first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine Sinovac at 4:03 pm Wednesday at the said hospital.

Fake Covid vaccination entry under Nawaz’s name

Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department took notice of the incident and wrote a letter to the FIA asking for an investigation in the matter and taking necessary action against the culprits.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar also sought a report from the health department concerning the matter. The CM also directed relevant authorities to take legal action against the officials found guilty.

Findings of report

The Punjab government then constituted a three-member committee to investigate the matter which compiled a report after recording statements of the doctors and paramedical staff concerned and examining the relevant documents.

The report transpired that a ward boy and a chowkidar were assigned the task of fake data entry at the Kot Khwaja Saeed Hospital.

It said that there was a serious lack of supervision by the hospital's MS and additional MS.

It stated that there was no proper staff to monitor the process of immunisation and online data entry of Covid-19 vaccination.

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The report maintained that this is an intolerable act of grave negligence at the end of the MS and additional MS of the hospital.

It recommended that seven officials, including MS of the health facility Ahmad Nadeem, Additional MS Dr. Munir Ahmad, receipt clerk Naveed Altaf, nurse Saba Riaz, ward boy Adil Rafique, and chowkidar Abul Hassan should be suspended.