Frontline healthcare workers and doctors will be vaccinated in the first phase
Sindh will receive 83359 doses of vaccine on Sunday supplied to fed govt. by China
Sindh has 170000 registered healthcare workers; vaccination will start in 7 districts including Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad and Jamshoro
Karachi: Sindh government has announced kicking off covid-19 vaccination of frontline healthcare workers including doctors, paramedics, laboratory technicians and Covid-19 test collection teams deputed to conduct test door to door from Wednesday February 03, 2021 in ten severely-hit districts of province.
The vaccination will be started in seven districts of Karachi, Hyderabad, Shaheed Benazirabad and Jamshoro in the first phase.
Provincial Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary Health MPA Qasim Siraj Soomro made this announcement in a press conference held at Sindh Assembly Committee Room on Friday.
Information Minister stated that China was providing 5 lac doses of Sinopharm vaccine to federal government and Sindh will get 83359 doses from it. “Sindh government will receive vaccine on Sunday,” he said.
Nasir Shah said that Health department from its own resources has allocated Rs.1.5 billion for the purchase of different Covid-19 vaccines while Sindh government has also allocated appropriate funds for procurement of vaccines but Sindh government requires permission for directly procuring the vaccine.
Minister said that Chief Minister has written a letter to federal government but no reply received yet.
“A private donor group has also committed to provide Astra Zeneca and Pfizer vaccination for 20 percent population of Pakistan,” he told.
He said that Sindh government is trying its best to procure Covid-19 vaccines so that everyone in the province could be given dose free of cost. He said that Sindh government has contacted many companies and donor agencies in this regard.
Minister said that today in a meeting with World Bank Country Head on different projects at chief minister house, Sindh government requested for support on Covid-19 vaccine procurement.
Parliamentary Secretary on Health MPA Qasim Siraj Soomro told that they have 170000 frontline healthcare workers registered with them and added that priority will be given to those working in ICU, laboratory technicians and team members deputed to collect sample from door to door.
He said that ten districts were identified on the basis of data and Covid-19 positive ratio. He said that ratio of Covid-19 positive cases in Karachi is 22 percent, Hyderabad 26 percent and then comes district Shaheed Benazirabad.
To question, Nasir Shah said that they would welcome private sector to support us in vaccination of people of Sindh free of cost but private sector should be certified from relevant authorities.
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