Pakistan has allocated a whopping US$ 100 million for buying COVID-19 vaccine along with advance payment and initiation of procurement process as soon as possible.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved the allocation of US$ 100 million for advance booking and buying of COIV-19 vaccine as soon a viable choice is available.
As per details, various segments of the society with the likes of senior citizens, healthcare professionals and patients suffering from chronic diseases will be prioritized in the inoculation process as the vaccine will be available in limited amount.
According to Dr Asad Hafeez – VC Health Services Academy (HSA), has said that not a single company has got the approval to sell the vaccine so far as the data from the clinical trials is limited as of now.
It may take another four weeks as companies such as Pfizer and BioNTech are still compiling their data and which then will be submitted to United States Food and Drugs Authority and its European counterparts.
Furthermore, he added that companies will be able to secure emergency usage permit and will only get full approval to further sell the vaccine after 12 months, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Nasheen Hamid – Secretary on NHS, has revealed that the government has shortlisted two companies for procuring COVID-19 vaccine and that advance payments will be made in near future.
The Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) has been interacting and negotiating with half a dozen multinational companies to get the vaccine at the earliest, he added.
It is to be noted that Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted a total of US$ 20.3 million for technical assistance to the developing economies among its member states in order for them to be able to have necessary access to the COVID-19 vaccine along with its efficient distribution.
