Cabinet approves procurement of Covid-19 vaccine

The Federal cabinet has approved allocating a sum worth $150 million to purchase the Covid-19 vaccine, local media reported on Tuesday.

As per details, the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan here in Islamabad approved funds to procure an anti-Covid vaccine. The health workers and people above 60 years of age will get the first doses of the drug in the first stage.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan, briefing to media about the decisions taken in today’s meeting, said the cabinet has approved funds for the advance purchases of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Frontline workers will be given first doses of coronavirus vaccine in the first stage,” said SAPM Faisal, adding that elderly people will be vaccinated in the second stage while the common public will receive the first dose of vaccine in the third stage whenever it becomes available.

He told reporters that government is hoping to procure Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.

Furthermore, the cabinet meeting has approved a major reduction in prices of Remdesivir injection used to treat COVID-19 patients.

“Govt has fixed price up to Rs5000 for a Remdesivir injection” he added. Earlier, the federal cabinet had fixed its price up to Rs10,873 on June 16.