0.5 mln COVID-19 vaccines to arrive in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has purchased the coronavirus vaccines for the first time and the first batch of 0.5 million Sinopharm vaccines will arrive in the country from China, citing sources, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Sources told ARY News that Pakistan has purchased the Sinopharm vaccines at a discounted price following an agreement with the Chinese pharmaceutical company.

The first batch of the purchased 0.5 million coronavirus vaccines will arrive in Pakistan as the Chinese pharmaceutical company will supply the vaccines in phases.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) had earlier obtained permission for the emergency use of Sinopharm vaccines in Pakistan. Sinopharm vaccines are already being administered to frontline health workers and elderly citizens aged above 60 in Pakistan.

Read: China’s Sinopharm vaccine safe, effective: SAPM

Following the ongoing vaccination drive, Sinopharm vaccines are proved effective and successful in Pakistan, sources added.

Moreover, Pakistan is holding negotiations with another Chinese pharmaceutical firm CanSino for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.

China had earlier gifted 1 million doses of Sinopharm vaccines to Pakistan including 500,000 vials for frontline health workers and 500,000 doses for Pakistan Army. However, the Pakistan Army had voluntarily handed over the share of vaccines to frontline health workers.

Covax scheme

On March 3, the Covax scheme had announced that Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia will be among the biggest recipients of free Covid-19 vaccines before June — more than 10 million doses each.

Read: How elderly people could register for anti-COVID vaccine

Some 238.2 million doses will be distributed around the world by the end of May through the programme aimed at boosting access to coronavirus jabs in poorer nations.

Though vaccination campaigns have gathered pace globally, the majority of injections have been administered in wealthier countries while many nations have yet to receive a single dose.

The Covax scheme, aimed ensuring equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, on Tuesday outlined plans to deliver to 142 countries and territories by May 31, in its first wave of distribution.

The five biggest confirmed recipients are Pakistan (14,640,000 doses), Nigeria (13,656,000), Indonesia (11,704,800), Bangladesh (10,908,000) and Brazil (9,122,400).

Read: WHO urges world not to halt vaccinations as AstraZeneca shot divides Europe

They are followed by Ethiopia (7,620,000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (5,928,000), Mexico (5,532,000), Egypt (4,389,600) and Vietnam (4,176,000).

Iran, Myanmar, Kenya and Uganda are also in line for more than three million doses each.

Overall by the end of May, India is likely to be the biggest recipient of Covax doses, but its allocation was not finalised before the publication of the distribution list on Tuesday.

The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is meanwhile set to receive the smallest number of doses at 4,800, followed by Nauru and Monaco with 7,200 each.