The commission said it received a letter from Ministry of Health on the basis of a complaint of an importing company about finding vaccines not imported by it being used in private hospitals carrying the unified code of Gulf countries. The letter also said the ministry set up a committee to investigate the matter and that committee was convinced of the presence of the vaccines in private hospital. It was evident that the vaccines and serums and equipment were illegally taken from government establishments. However, the letter did not mention the from where the medical supplies were taken though the ministry had set up  a committee to investigate the matter, the commission’s statement said.

The minister requested the commission to investigate the matter.

The commission’s statement also said it investigated the matter with the help of the administrative investigation department. It also sought the help of a medical expert of the ministry to identify the seized goods from suspects. The commission did not set up any committee to investigate because it had the authority to make independent investigations.

Not only serums were found in private establishments as said in a statement of the ministry but the theft also involved large quantities of vaccines, medicines and medical equipment which the ministry did not know about, and the ministry also did not know the officials and others involved in the crime, the commissions’ statement said.

After completing its investigations, the commission transferred the case to the Prosecution and Investigation Commission. It also wrote to the minister about the need to suspend six officials who were involved in the crimes. It also wrote to the minister that the vaccines, serums and medicines were handled by private agencies in a manner that would affected the serums and vaccines before its usage. It also warned the ministry that private hospitals were buying vaccines from unauthorized sources and asked the ministry to take necessary steps to stop such illegal and unhygienic practices by private hospitals. The commission also urged the ministry to conduct precise stock verification in warehouses in governorates adding that some officials were tampering with stock records. The commission also asked the ministry to make sure that the medicines and vaccines reached their rightful patients, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.