COVID: Pakistan to likely get 17 million AstraZeneca vaccines by mid '21, Umar says

ISLAMABAD: The federal planning and development minister Asad Umar said Saturday Pakistan will likely get 17 million AstraZeneca doses of COVID-19 vaccination within the first half of current year, ARY News reported.

Turning to social media via his official Twitter handle, the federal minister announced, “Good news on covid vaccine front.” He added that Pakistan received a response letter from Covax which indicated “supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021”.

Good news on covid vaccine front. Recieved letter from Covax of indicative supply of up to 17 million doses of AstraZeneca in 1st half 2021. About 6 million will be recieved by March with delivery starting in Feb. We signed with Covax nearly 8 months back to ensure availability

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) January 30, 2021

Federal minister Asad Umar further added that the deliveries of these vaccines will begin in February with about 6 million of AstraZeneca doses received by March.

Umar said the country reached out to Covax “nearly 8 months back to ensure availability”.

 

READ: ‘Pakistan writes letter to Gavi for supply of COVID-19 vaccine’

It may be noted that Pakistan wrote a letter to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, for provision of COVID-19 vaccine free of cost as well as on concessional price to the country, citing the health ministry sources.

The sources at the Ministry of National Health Services have disclosed that Pakistan has requested to Gavi, to supply the coronavirus vaccine free of cost for 20 percent of its population.

Gavi will assist the COVAX member countries in the purchase of the vaccine, sources said. It will hold talks with the vaccine makers to fix the vaccine price for the member countries.

Pakistan will likely to receive coronavirus vaccine in March 2021, according to sources.

Pakistan has been a member of COVAX, the global vaccines alliance having 189 countries and vaccine makers as its members.