ISLAMABAD: China will supply 500,000 additional doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan this month, told Parliamentary Secretary on Health Dr Nosheen Hamid.
“China has already donated 1.5 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Pakistan,” said Dr Hamid on Tuesday as she spoke to media, adding that the 500,000 doses from Beijing will be delivered to Pakistan this month.
Talking about the epidemic and the government’s vaccination procedure, Dr Hamid grieved that people were not getting themselves listed for the coronavirus vaccine shot.
“As of now, a little over 2 million people have gotten themselves registered [for the vaccine],” she said. “Out of these, 650,000 are healthcare workers.”
Dr Hamid told the government will start a campaign that would inspire the general public to get vaccinated against coronavirus.
Apart from the provided vaccine doses from China, the health secretary verified Pakistan will also collect the shipment of coronavirus vaccine dosages from China that Pakistan has acquired.
‘We urgently require vaccines in Pakistan’
A few days ago, a Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) representative had told that the firm supplied its safety and efficacy data to the expert commission and on its proposals, the agreement for another Chinese vaccine was given.
DRAP had conferred Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) to another Chinese vaccine, CoronaVac, Geo News had told earlier.
“The DRAP’s registration board allowed the vaccine as we desperately need vaccines in Pakistan,” the official had asserted.
The CoronaVac is a conventional vaccine, which can be hoarded at 2-8°C, which makes it perfect for countries like Pakistan where they don’t have extreme-cold chain freezers.
Additionally, Phase-III clinical experiments of a triple-dose Chinese vaccine, formed by the Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Company Ltd, are also proceeding in Lahore, Faisalabad, and other cities of Pakistan.
