The sources say that it is the vaccine Pakistan has purchased for the first time since the beginning of COVID-19.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 16th, 2021) The first batch of 0.5 million Sinopharm vaccine would arrive in Pakistan from China after it purchased the vaccine for the first time since inception of Coronavirus, the sources said on Tuesday.
The sources said that the vaccine would arrive in Pakistan in phases.
According to the reports, Pakistan purchased this vaccine at the discounted rate after an argument with Chinese pharmaceutical company.
Earlier, National Institute of Health got permission for emergency use of Sinopharm vaccine in Pakistan. The Doctors who worked in the frontline in fight against COVID-19 and the other medical staffers were administered the vaccine first followed by elderly citizens aged 60 in Pakistan.
Sinopharm vaccines was proven effective and successful following the ongoing drive in Pakistan.
The sources said that another Chinese company was also approached by Pakistan for negotiations for procurement of Coronavirus vaccine.
China had already gifted 1 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Pakistan including 500,000 vials for frontline health workers and 500,000 doses for Pakistan Army. But Pakistan Army handed over the vaccine to frontline health workers.
Covax scheme on March 3 had announced that Nigeria, Indonesia and Pakistan would be among the biggest recipients of free COVID-19 vaccine this year before June.— more than 10 million doses each.
Some 238. 2 million doses would be distributed around the globe by the end of May through the programme aimd at boosting access to COVID-19 jabs in poorer nations.
The global campaign for COVID-19 vaccine is on the rise as rich nations have administered the vaccine but many countries have yet to receive a single dose.
The Covax shceme outlined plans to deliver to 142 countries and territories by May 31 in its first wave of distribution.
There are five confirmed recipients of COVID-19 including Pakistan with 14, 640, 000, Nigeria with 13, 656, 000, Indonesia with 11, 704, 800, Bangladesh (10, 908,000) and Brazil (9, 122, 400).
Ethiopia with 7,620,000, Democratic Republic of the Congo with 5,928,000, Mexico with 5,532,000, Egypt with 4,389,600 and Vietnam with 4,176,000 were also among the recipients. Myanmar, Kenya, Uganda and Iran were also in line for more than three million doses each.
India, Overall by the end of May, possibly was going to be the biggest recipient of Covax doses but its allocation was not finalized before publication of distribution list on Tuesday.
Nauru and Monaco would also receive 7, 200 doses besides Tuvalu which would receive 4,800 doses.
