Pakistan gets first AstraZeneca vaccine shipment under COVAX facility
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The first consignment of European vaccine AstraZeneca has reached Pakistan today, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
According to Health Ministry, 1.238 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine under the facility of COVAX have reached Islamabad International Airport on Saturday. Another shipment is expected to arrive in June along with Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine doses.
We welcome the arrival in Pakistan of 1.2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. is proud to support equitable global vaccine access through #COVAX. We stand with Pakistan in the fight against this pandemic. https://t.co/Az7P69jssO pic.twitter.com/hzA1kYnrJ3
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) May 8, 2021
The Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is arriving in Pakistan from a non-Indian source. Pakistan has managed to get his shipment from South Korea by inserting its influence with other partner organizations.
See Also: Lockdown imposed across country except Sindh
The COVAX programme has committed 45 million doses to Pakistan up to the end of 2021, and deliveries were meant to start in March. However Serum Institute of India (SII), making the AstraZeneca vaccination, halted supplies due to its own worsening COVID-19 situation. However, Pakistan purchased 13 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from three Chinese companies, Sinopharm, CanSinoBio (6185.HK) and Sinovac.
#TeamEurope joined hands with @GoP @WHO, @Gavi, @UNICEF and int health orgs to address Covid19 pandemic. Today 🇵🇰received first delivery of 1.2 M vaccines through #COVAX Facility, more are on the way.
— EUPakistan (@EUPakistan) May 8, 2021
@mofaspokesperson @ForeignMinister @PTV @NCOC @SAPM for health @AsadUmar pic.twitter.com/1GcbjNi3DC
Only slightly more than 2 million people have been vaccinated so far in the country of 220 million people, the lowest rate in South Asia.
See Also: Pakistan posts 4,109 new corona infections, 120 deaths in a day
Pakistan started a vaccination drive in February with 1.2 million doses donated by China, and was able to procure over 4 million doses from China in April.
This pandemic has kept us apart, but also brought us together. Welcoming the arrival of first batch of #COVAX @UniofOxford @AstraZeneca vaccines in 🇵🇰; 1.2m doses for world’s 5th largest country pic.twitter.com/hIQv8Gg2VY
— Christian Turner (@CTurnerFCDO) May 8, 2021
Pakistan is battling with third wave of coronavirus. Its positivity rate is 9.5% and number of confirmed cases is 850,131. Total 18,677 people died of Covid-19 and 747,755 recovered so far.
Canada🇨🇦 is pleased to support the #COVAX facility, which has just delivered its first tranche of #AstraZenicaVaccine to 🇵🇰 Pakistan.
— Wendy Gilmour (@gilmour_wendy) May 8, 2021
@drsafdar64 @ForeignOfficePk @CanHCPakistan https://t.co/9gwvxrEa4E
Reporter Saba Bajeer