WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has announced that it will be donating at least 16 million doses of paediatric vaccines against Covid-19 to Pakistan.

The announcement was made by the officials of the State Department during a Health Dialogue in Washington between US and Pakistan.

The vaccines will be delivered in partnership with COVAX. Further, in line with the pledge of global vaccine equity, USAID will also be funding the vaccine efforts of Pakistan amid its crippling financial crunch.

The US has already sent 61.5 million adult Covid doses to Pakistan atop $ 4.6 million for four testing labs by the USAID.

“These lapses will strengthen Pakistan’s ability to diagnose Covid-19 and other communicable diseases”, the US said. The US is also hoping to build upon the Pakistan Field Epidemiology Training Programme to coordinate efforts on disease surveillance and response systems.

The discussions at the Health Dialogue centered on establishing a Pakistani Center for Disease Control (CDC). Further, the representatives of the US and Pakistan also deliberated on childhood immunisations, child and maternity care and other communicable and non-communicable diseases.

The meeting was led by US Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace and co-led by Assistant administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Atul Gawande, representatives of the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On the Pakistani side was Federal Minister of National Health Services and Regulations Abdul Qadir Patel, the delegation also included officials from the Drug Regulatory body of Pakistan, Federal Directorate of Immunisation, and Ministry of External Affairs.