'Govt taking steps for uninterrupted supply of COVID-19 vaccine'

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has chaired a high-level session to review measures for ensuring the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine across the country, ARY News reported on Friday.

The session was attended by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) head Asad Umar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, Federal Minister For Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan and others.

Asad Umar said that steps are being taken to ensure an uninterrupted supply of the COVID-19 vaccine. All countries are adopting measures for ensuring the availability of vaccines. He added that the country is facing a financial load of payments for advanced vaccine supplies.

Read: COVID vaccination halted in Punjab province after ‘shortage’ 

During the session, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan briefed the participants on contacts with ally countries to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine.

Shaukat Tarin said that the federal government is making efforts to provide coronavirus vaccine to all nationals on a priority basis. He issued directives to ensure the continuation of supplies from the available credit line. He added that Finance Division will provide maximum assistance in payments.

Earlier on Thursday, it was learnt that Pakistan had made a bulk purchase deal of coronavirus vaccines with China.

Read: AIDS, cancer, organ transplant patients get Pfizer shot in Punjab

Pakistan had made various agreements of buying over 27.5 million vaccine doses of China-made vaccines, the sources at the National Institute of Health (NIH) said.

The doses of Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino vaccines are being purchased under the vaccine procurement agreements, according to sources. “Under the procurement agreements raw material and prepared coronavirus vaccines being purchased from the Chinese companies,” sources said.

Pakistan has signed a deal of the procurement of 23 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine, according to sources. Sinopharm will provide vaccine consignments to Pakistan in phases till December this year.

Read: Govt issues guidelines for use of homemade Covid vaccine PakVac

Moreover, Pakistan has made an agreement with CanSino Biologics for over two million vaccine doses and 2.5 mln vaccine doses with Sinovac, sources said.

It is to be mentioned here that a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines reported at various vaccination centres in Pakistan.

In Punjab as well as at Karachi’s Expo Center, scarcity of vaccines reported affecting the government’s drive to inoculate maximum citizens in the country.