Health Minister denies Rs10 billion vaccine corruption claims in Pakistan
Pakistan Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal denied allegations of Rs10 billion vaccine corruption on Tuesday after an inquiry found no financial loss to the state.
Minister rejects social media rumors
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal held a press conference in Karachi to address recent social media claims. He stated that an inquiry committee confirmed zero financial loss for the government regarding the vaccine procurement case. The minister dismissed the Rs10 billion figure as baseless and absent from official findings. He explained that the entire matter involves only Rs183 million currently held in a National Database account.
Inquiry blames border health agency
Kamal blamed Border Health Services for violating procurement laws by forming its own committee on June 10. This action kept the Ministry of Health uninformed about the process. The Federal Investigation Agency alleged that a contract was awarded to Pharma Connect without a market survey. An Islamabad court granted physical remand to three suspects including director Dr Abid Hussain Shah in October.
Vaccine prices and current status
A five-year deal for meningococcal and influenza vaccines for pilgrims is the focus of the debate. Kamal said the actual vaccine price is Rs1,300 while previous purchases cost approximately Rs2,290 last year. Citizen-collected funds stay safe within the NADRA account, and no payments have been released so far. Within a month, the ministry cancelled the BHS vaccination arrangement and issued a fresh tender.
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