Yasmin Rashid inaugurates coronavirus vaccination at Mayo Hospital

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid Wednesday inaugurated coronavirus vaccination process here at the Mayo Hospital vaccination centre.

Talking to the media after inaugurating and observing the vaccination to a group of doctors in a ceremony, she said that 189 vaccination centres had been set up for giving vaccine to the health professionals across the province,adding that the vaccination centres had been established in 25 teaching and other hospitals in the provincial capital.

She said that the province had recieved 70,000 vaccine doses which would be injected to the frontline health workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedical staff.

She said that in the first phase, vaccine would be given to the health professionals whereas in the second phase it would be administered to the most vulnerable people gradually like citizens of 65 years old and above would be given priority and then 55-year and above and so on.

The minister said that the vaccination process would continue till the last citizen got it.

She thanked the frontline health professionals for their contribution to control and manage the coronavirus cases in the province.

She said Mayo Hospital treated the most number of coronavirus cases, adding that 480 beds with oxygen and ventilators had been provided to the hospital which had been reserved for COVID-19 patients.

The minister paid tribute to the health workers for their hard work and dedication which kept Pakistan among those countries where the disease remained under control.

She also thanked China's official health company Sinopharm for giving doses as gift and said that China was a time-tested and all-weather friend.

"China has given assurance of fulfilling all need of vaccine to Pakistan as much as it is needed," she added.

She informed that 27,625 doses of vaccine had been given to the Specialized Healthcare, 32,000 doses to the Primary Healthcare, 7,200 to the private healthcare and hospitals and 650 doses of coronavirus vaccine had been reserved for drivers of ambulances whereas 1800 doses of coronavirus vaccine would be given to the laboratory staff.

She said that this was the first consignment of the vaccine and the second would be received after 21 days.

The minister said that the World Health Organization (WHO) consortium COVAX had given commitment to provide 17 million doses of the vaccine in two phases within the next month.

She informed that trials of vaccine with the Cosina was under progress and after the completion of the trials, an ample amount of vaccine would also be received by the company by two weeks.

She said that in the current phase about 500,000 healthcare workers would be vaccinated and then the most vulnerable people according to the age would be given the vaccine.

The minister said that the current phase of vaccination would be completed in upcoming 15 days hopefully.

To a question, she said that a cold chain and a distribution plan had been devised for the vaccination in the province.

She said that Punjab health department worked dedicatedly across the province and the world appreciated its work in the war against the COVID-19.