ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday started the national coronavirus vaccination drive with administering a Covid-19 vaccine to health workers in the first phase, here in Islamabad.

In this connection, a special session of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) was commenced which was chaired by Chairman NCOC Asad Umar and joined by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan, SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar along with other officials.

Commercial Minister Counsellor China Xie Guoxiang was the chief guest of the ceremony which was also attended by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Hussain Chaudhary.

The vaccine was administered to Rizwana Yasmeen associated with the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) as in-charge nurse isolation unit. She and her team had been working tirelessly in fight against the Covid-19 and she is representing all medical and paramedical staff of the PIMS who have been involved in managing Covid-19 patients.

The vaccinated individuals also included Javed Iqbal who is Covid-19 surveillance team member from DHO office, Islamabad. He has been working in surveillance activities since the first case of the Covid19 was reported in Islamabad.

He along with his team tirelessly worked and has diagnosed over 10,000 positive cases in Islamabad by contact tracing and sampling.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar lauded the sacrifices and meritorious services of Frontline Healthcare Workers (FLHCWs) for serving the nation during the pandemic.

“Frontline Healthcare Workers are our real heroes. No doubt they have put their lives at risk in their fight against Covid-19 and we pay tribute to all of them.”

SAPM on National Health Services Dr Faisal Sultan, speaking on the occasion, said that 70 percent of the country’s population will receive the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of this year.

Sultan said: “The vaccines will be administered in a phased process, with frontline healthcare workers being the first ones to receive the doses.”

He said that nationwide corona vaccination drive has officially launched, adding that technically 100 million Pakistanis are eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccination with above the 18 years of age can receive it.

According to the SAPM, the first phase has started by administering the vaccine to some 0.5 million healthcare workers.

In the second phase, it will be administered to about 9.5 million citizens above the age of 65 years.

“In the third phase, the doses will be given to 0.6 million general healthcare staffers and to the 6.3 million people between the age of 60 to 65.”

Dr Sultan said adequate doses will be available in the forthcoming months, adding that Pakistan is in contact with several countries regarding the vaccines.

Sultan said that Covax has promised to provide 17 million doses of anti-Covid vaccine.

Seven million doses will be received in the first quarter, whilst the remaining 10 million doses in the next quarter.

The SPAM said the government is also in contact with various countries and vaccine manufacturing companies to procure additional 73 million doses of anti-Covid vaccine.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021