All pilgrims traveling for Hajj and Umrah from Sept. 14 will be required to carry a vaccination certificate linked to the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), according to a notice issued by Border Health Services-Pakistan (BHS-P).
The BHS-P issued the notice on Sept. 7, outlining vaccination requirements for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
The instructions sent to all chief operating officers include requirements for pre-departure vaccinations against polio, meningitis, yellow fever and influenza.
The BHS-P said that from Sept. 14, passengers will not be allowed to travel without vaccination proof integrated with NADRA.
According to the health minister’s directives, the federal Government Civil Dispensary is the only authorized center for vaccinating international travelers going for Hajj or Umrah.
To avoid inconvenience for pilgrims, airlines have been asked to strictly inform their travel agents that only vaccination certificates linked to NADRA will be accepted for travel.
The BHS-P also asked airline station managers to inform travel agents that Umrah pilgrims must obtain a digital vaccine card linked to NADRA from an authorized vaccination center before departure.
Vaccination and online registration facilities will also be available at airports in the coming days. Passengers who need to be vaccinated at the airport will have to arrive six hours before their flight.
The vaccination fee will be paid through NADRA’s e-Sahulat platform.
In January, Pakistan decided to introduce strict and enhanced health surveillance at all entry points across the country to prevent the cross-border spread of the Nipah virus.
