Vax Cards For Sale

Vaccination cards with Ministry of Health stamps have been sold to unvaccinated Nausori Market vendors at $35 each.

And the Fiji Police Force suspects the involvement of ministry staff members.

The issue came to light when a woman opened up to the Nausori Town Council when vendors were told that their vaccination cards would be checked against information from the Ministry of Health.

Police Commissioner Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho said a woman opened up when a check was done and admitted she had not been vaccinated.

The vaccination cards are proper cards with the Ministry of Health stamps for endorsement.

“We would not be surprised that it only happened in Nausori Market, it could be in other municipalities as well,” he said.

“There are a few of them who have bought those cards. She knows who she bought it from, and the investigation will go along those lines.

“We are keeping our options open that it could involve someone from MOH. We are keeping that investigation line open as well.”

Police are also investigating forged vaccination cards and people have been found with somebody else’s vaccination card at checkpoints.

“People have been flouting that. People have been coming to pick up things at the border checkpoints with it,” Mr Qiliho said.

“Because they have not been vaccinated, they pick up somebody else’s vaccination card and turn up with that.”

Municipal councils have a no jab no sell policy for vendors.

Nausori and Nasinu Town Council chief executive Anurashika Bari said they were complying with Police investigation.

She said for now vendors would not be asked to move until after the police have finished their investigation.

Suva and Lami special administrator Isikeli Tikoduadua said they would now start collating data from vendors to verify with the Ministry of Health.

He said this exercise would start from Suva Market and move to mini markets.

He said previously they used to check vaccination cards against identification cards, but a new step will now be implemented.

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