*Pakistan to get first consignment of free vaccine in second quarter of 2021
*India starts Coronavirus Vaccination drive to vaccinate more than 300 million citizens but unfortunately no any such planning for vaccinating people at our government’s end: PMA Centre
*COVAX promises to provide free vaccine for 20 percent of the population of around 190 countries, including Pakistan: PMA
Pak Chronicle Report
Karachi
As all of you know that Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is a representative body of medical fraternity, so we ask government to inform us which Covid vaccines they have decided to import and what efficacy would these vaccines have, stated a press release issued by PMA Centre on Monday.
According to information Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine which is being manufactured by India. Pakistan will acquire this vaccine through COVAX which is a global Alliance for vaccine support; the alliance includes Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and World Health Organization.
According to Dr SM Qaisar Sajjad, the Secretary General of PMA Centre, the COVAX has promised to provide free vaccine for 20 percent of the population of around 190 countries, including Pakistan.
PMA wants to know the dosage of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, will it be administered once in life, once a year or more than that.
Who will be the beneficiary of this free vaccine? PMA and other stakeholders should be taken on board by the government. Healthcare Workers both from public and private sector should be administered vaccine on priority basis.
Up till now 175 doctors and 30 paramedics have lost their lives due to Covid-19. Most of the deceased doctors are E.N.T specialists, Pathologists, General Practitioners, Physicians, Pediatricians, Gynecologists, Ophthalmologists, Anesthesiologist and dentists.
All these doctors were affected while examining their patients because they did not know the patient they were examining was Covid positive or not.
Unfortunately when a doctor gets positive even he does not know where to go for treatment. No beds are reserved for doctors in any Corona designated hospitals. There is no policy for taking care of healthcare workers who are called frontline soldiers of war against coronavirus.
So many countries of the world have started vaccinating their people. Even India has started world’s largest Coronavirus vaccination drive under which more than 300 million people will be vaccinated, on the other hand Pakistan might get the first consignment of the free vaccine from COVAX in the second quarter of 2021.
Unfortunately we do not see any such planning for vaccinating people at the end of our government. This planning should be initiated urgently, first phase of the vaccination drive should be chalked out, lists of medics and paramedics should also be prepared for vaccination. How the cold chain of the vaccination will be maintained. Public awareness campaign for this vaccine should also be launched through media to prepare people to get vaccinated.
PMA demands that:
- The government should expedite the process of acquiring vaccine for Covid-19.
- Healthcare Workers both from public and private sector should be administered vaccine on priority basis.
- People above the age of sixty suffering from Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer or any other uncompromised diseases / Drugs should also be vaccinated on priority basis.
- People above seventy with no diseases should also be vaccinated on priority basis.
- Public awareness campaign for this vaccine should also be launched through media to prepare people to get vaccinated.
- Provide free vaccine to the whole population in the country, concluded the press release.
Ends
