COVID-19 vaccine to be available in Pakistan by March: Asad

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development, Asad Umer on Saturday said that incumbent government has made approval to purchase coronavirus vaccine for the people of Pakistan and it would be available during the month of March.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), has given green signal for importing coronavirus vaccine to protect the masses from spreading virus, he stated in an interview with a private television channel.

Asad Umer, who is also the chief of National Command Operation Center (NCOC), said that after the availability of vaccine in Pakistan, the priority would be given to health workers and the people falling between 60-65 year of age.

About training of the health workers, he said some 300,000 (three hundred thousand), healthcare workers had been imparted training for vaccination.

We have granted approval of the vaccine “Astrazeneca”, while the discussion with Sinopharm, a Chinese company was also under progress, he revealed.

In reply to a question about purchase of medicine, he said that private sector could import the vaccine after following the necessary procedure.

He further stated that Sindh government should also make the arrangements for the purchase of coronavirus vaccine to protect the people living in provincial areas.

To a question regarding Census in Karachi, he said there had been some reservation of the political parties and stakeholders about previous Census.

He said that as per new system, the Census should be conducted without delay so that grievances of the stakeholders could be addressed in a proper manner.