Umrah Vaccination: Services suspended at Karachi airport amid procurement concerns

Routine meningitis and influenza vaccination services for passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah have been suspended amid alleged irregularities in vaccine procurement, according to sources.

The situation has also led to the removal of the Border Health Services counter at Karachi airport, which provided emergency vaccination facilities to departing passengers.

Sources said most staff members at the airport dispensary had been relieved of their duties, leaving only one dispenser and another employee on duty. Daily-wage workers hired for the vaccination programme have also been instructed to remain off duty until further orders.

According to the sources, only 4,000 vaccine doses remain in stock. These doses have been reserved for passengers who have paid the vaccination fee through the National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) Pak ID application.

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Meanwhile, authorities have extended the deadline for completing mandatory vaccination requirements until November 20 under recently issued directives.

The Sindh government had made influenza vaccination compulsory for Umrah pilgrims travelling through Karachi airport amid a rise in flu cases in the city. Meningitis and polio vaccinations were also made mandatory, with passengers required to present vaccination documents before departure.

Medical experts have noted that the symptoms of the current flu virus resemble those associated with Covid-19. However, there is disagreement over whether the illness is caused by a new influenza variant or a modified Covid-19 variant.

The deadline for enforcing mandatory meningitis and polio vaccinations for Umrah pilgrims, along with yellow fever vaccination requirements for travellers to certain destinations in Africa and North America, had already been extended twice between September 5 and October 10.

The suspension of routine vaccination services raises concerns for pilgrims who still need to complete their vaccination requirements before travelling to Saudi Arabia. Further details about the restoration of services were not provided by the sources.