The World Bank on Monday agreed over providing funding to Pakistan for advance purchases of coronavirus vaccines.
According to sources, the World Bank has offered Pakistan providing new funds for the vaccine procurement which was reportedly rejected by Islamabad.
Sources told that Pakistan has requested WB to allow utilizing funds issued for Pandemic Response Effectiveness Project (PREP) for the purchase of Covid vaccine which was accepted by the World Bank.
The World Bank’s (WB) Board of Executive Directors in April had approved $153 million for Pandemic Response Effectiveness Project for Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan had sought $153mn from the WB for advance purchases of the COVID-19 vaccines. The request had been made by the Economic Coordination Division.
The Health ministry had penned a letter to the Economic Coordination Division advising it to seek funds from the WB for advance purchases of the coronavirus vaccines.
Pakistan is also in direct contact with the COVID-19 vaccine producer firms and also using GAVI platform for the ani-covid vaccines.
It is to be noted that the ECC has already approved a supplementary grant for the advance purchases of the vaccines.
Pakistan has planned to vaccinate health workers and senior citizens in the first phase in a bid to save them from the deadly pandemic.
