Software glitch spells trouble for scores of Ctg vaccine recipients

Thousands of vaccine receivers in Chattogram are facing problems in getting their vaccination certificates due to software problems in the Surokkha app.

At least 20 million people in the port city are yet to get their vaccination certificates after receiving two doses, according to sources from the district civil surgeon's office.

Devabrata Roy Debu received the first dose on 18 March and second dose on 7 June.

At that time, the Chattogram General Hospital authorities took away his vaccine card to register his entry.

Since then, despite repeatedly contacting hospital officials, he has not been able to collect his vaccine certificate in the last three months.

On 18 August, he received an SMS again from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) for getting the second dose.

He reported the matter to the Chattogram Civil Surgeon's Office.

Officials from the office told him the certificate would be issued once he received the second dose, responding to the 18 August SMS, because they had no system to fix it.

Like Devabrata, Ilias Ali, another resident of the port city, is facing the same problem. He took the first dose of vaccine on 4 April and the second dose on 7 June, according to the date set by the DGHS. But, he received another SMS instructing that he will have to take the second dose of vaccine on 1 September.

After contacting the district civil surgeon's office and the DGHS to reduce the time gap between the two doses of vaccines, he also got no solution.

Ilias told The Business Standard, "I need the certificate urgently. But I am not getting the certificate. On the other hand, there is inconsistency in the date of vaccination."

Hundreds of people are flocking to the civil surgeon's office and vaccination centres in Chattogram every day with such allegations. Expatriate workers are suffering the most.

Contacted over the issue, Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said, "We do not have the means to correct the mistakes created centring the SMS. So, we cannot do anything despite the suffering of the people."

A DGHS official, in reply to a query over the SMS mistakes, also said that they cannot fix it. "It is in the hands of a2i. We are facing many such problems," he said.

Access to Information (a2i) is a special programme under ICT Division that provides citizen-friendly public service innovations.

SMS for first dose due for six months

Former bank official Kamal Uddin Talukder, 65, registered for the vaccine with the Chattogram Medical College and Hospital in the first week of February.

But in the last five and a half months, he has not received the expected SMS for the first dose of vaccine.

He failed to get the vaccine during the nationwide mass vaccination programme also, on 7 August, due to the alleged mishandling of ward councilors.

Unable to be vaccinated for a long time, the elderly man is anxious whether he would get the vaccine at all.

Talukder said, "Even after registering with the Surokkha app, I am not getting the SMS. I have also tried to re-register; but that canot be done. How will I get the vaccine now?"

Sinopharm given after registering for Moderna

The second phase of the vaccination programme started in Chattogram on 19 June. At that time, the district civil surgeon's office informed that the dwellers of Chattogram City Corporation area will get the Moderna vaccine and the upazila residents will get the Sinopharm vaccine.

But on 12 August, the civil surgeon's office announced that the vaccination programme in the district would be temporarily suspended due to non-availability of vaccines from Moderna and Sinopharm vaccines.

After a day, the vaccination programme resumed at different centres of the city, but the city dwellers are being vaccinated with Sinopharm instead of Moderna. They have expressed their dissatisfaction over the issue.

Sardar Mahbub Alam of Shamsher Para area in the city said, "I have to leave the country in a few days. So, I registered with the General Hospital to get the Moderna vaccine. But I was given the Sinopharm vaccine. I am now worried about going abroad."

In this regard, Civil Surgeon Fazle Rabbi said, "There is no specific government instruction for expatriate workers. However, due to the shortage of Moderna vaccine, Sinopharm is now being provided to dwellers of the Chattogram City Corporation."

Vaccine certificate being delayed

Mohammad Hanif, 45, a Saudi expatriate, returned home on holiday six months ago. He received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine during the first phase of the vaccination programme.

But even after four months, he is yet to get the vaccination certificate, creating uncertainty over his return to the workplace.

He said, "Initially, people could go to Saudi Arabia by showing the vaccination card only. But since 1 July, Saudi authorities are not allowing anyone without a vaccination certificate. But, even after trying for four months, I failed to get the certificate from Surokkha app."

According to data provided by the district civil surgeon's office, over 20 million people in the port city are facing problems in getting the vaccination certificate after getting two doses of vaccine.

Claiming that efforts are being made to solve the problem, Civil Surgeon Fazle Rabbi said at present, the number of registration is much higher than the number of daily vaccination; so, sending the SMS for vaccination is being delayed. Around 30,000 to 40,000 people have registered with General Hospital and CMCH. But these centers cannot vaccinate more than a certain number."