rishard.khan@guardian.co.tt
Police and the Ministry of Health intend to administer a full dose of the law to those involved with falsifying immunisation documentation after claims of fake records being sold appear to have some truth to them.
Shortly after the Ministry of Health began its accelerated mass vaccination drive earlier this month, rumours began circulating that people were selling fraudulent immunisation cards to those who were unwilling to receive the jab.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police of Investigations, McDonald Jacobs, the issue is a high priority for a team established within the Fraud Squad will pursue it.
He said this team will have the necessary resources to perform its duty.
“I will be providing all the necessary support, technical support, that is required from the other various technical units to assist the Fraud Squad in their investigations,” he said.
Speaking during Wednesday’s Ministry of Health virtual press conference, Minister of Health Terrence Deyalsingh noted these allegations were being taken “very seriously” because “it may be more than rumours.”
He said the ministry received information from a whistleblower and it will be sent to the police.
Members of the public wait to be attended to at the National Academy for the Performing Arts’ (NAPA) mass vaccination site in Port-of-Spain yesterday.
NICOLE DRAYTON
He said immediately after hearing the claims the ministry increased its vigilance over immunization cards used at vaccination sites; monitoring how they are distributed.
Both DCP Jacobs and the Minister of Health said the Forgery Act will be employed to prosecute the culprits. Minister Deyalsingh said the penalties ranged from imprisonment for seven years up to life imprisonment. He warned that this will also be applied to the person purchasing the falsified documents.
However, DCP Jacobs said the police will not stop there.
“We will be looking at if there were any parties to the crime-like who aided and abetted, persons who assisted in creating this forgery upon documents - they will also be found liable and we will have to go further to see whether or not there is any sort of plan or conspiracy to go about carrying out such acts,” he said.
He added that if any public officer is found to be involved in such an activity, they will also be slapped with a charge for misbehaviour in public office.
He says anyone with information on such practices can contact the police service and make a report.
Guardian Media was able to obtain two messages sent to one volunteer at a vaccination site. One person asked for blank immunisation cards while the other was enquiring about the process to get one without receiving the jab so they could travel.
This practice has been strongly condemned by the T&T Medical Association, especially if members of the medical fraternity are involved.
“It is definitely something that is unethical and unscrupulous. It is not something that we would support from our members or from the fraternity at large,” Medical Association PRO Keegan Bhaggan said.
A message sent to a volunteer at a vaccination site.
Like Bhaggan, the Pharmacy Board president Andrew Rahaman condemned the practice saying only harm can come out of it.
“People are really risking their lives and risking the lives of their family and risking the lives of their coworkers and everybody who they come into contact with if they either have fake vaccination cards or if they unwilling to get vaccinated,” he said.