Fake vaccination certificate racket under police’s radar

AURANGABAD: The city police have launched a probe into the forgery of vaccination certificates racket. These certificates are a must for those travelling abroad.

The said racket is being run in connivance with a set of medical professionals, from within and outside the region. These medicos are issuing certificates for a handsome price without vaccinating the travellers, thus exposing them to unknown deadly diseases.

Sources from the health department said that this practice is common among the tour operators who offer group tours to foreign lands, especially during vacations.

An officer said that few days back a police officer’s kin was issued a forged certificate, triggering the police’s suspicions of a possible racket in the city.

Deputy commissioner of police (headquarter)

Deepali Dhate

, a medical professional herself, told

TOI

, “We are not going to spare the medical professionals as well as tour operators involved in the racket. These set of suspects are playing with the lives of travellers in exchange for a paltry amount.”

An insider from the tourism industry said, “It is a common trend in

Marathwada

to get forged vaccination certificates, which are attached to the passport at the time of travel. The authorities at the immigration points across the globe check for these certificates.”

The tour operator also said that it is usually done when the traveller is not comfortable getting injections.

Medical experts here said that those avoiding the specifically prescribed vaccinations, which are a must before flying to a particular destination, are risking their lives with deadly diseases.

Umar Qadri

, MD medicine, said, “Each area has a different set of viruses, which are exclusive to that place. So as to avoid any serious health issue or getting infected from these viruses, which are completely new to the body of the foreigner, it is essential for the travellers to get themselves vaccinated. If a person avoids getting vaccinated, he or she is risking their life with an unknown deadly disease.”

The medico said that the World Health Organisation has prescribed a list of vaccines that are a must for travellers before heading to a particular country.