Pak receives new huge Covid vaccines gift from Iron Brother China

Islamabad: Pakistan on Wednesday afternoon received a Chinese donation of 500,000 doses of Sinopharm anti-Covid vaccine, bringing the country’s total supply to 1 million shots.

The nation of 220 million people launched COVID-19 vaccinations for the public on March 10, starting with older people. Health workers started receiving shots in early February.

“These 500,000 doses will ensure smooth continuation of our vaccine drive, currently under way for senior citizens,” Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan said after receiving the vaccines from Chinese ambassador Nong Rong here Sinopharm, the only vaccine currently available in the country, requires two doses.

Sultan thanked China for the generosity and reiterated the government’s commitment to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation.

The Chinese embassy tweeted: “Half a million vaccines donated by China arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday. This is the second batch donated following an early lot that arrived on February 1.”

Chinese ambassador Nong Rong said China was trying to support Pakistan in whatever way it can. He said the vaccines will help Pakistan fight the pandemic.

The virus infections have sharply increased lately in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation that has had a history of refusing vaccination.

The percentage of COVID tests coming back positive across the country has touched 6.26% and crossed 11% in Punjab, the largest province.

Pakistan has recorded 612,315 coronavirus cases and 13,656 deaths, with 2,351 infections and 61 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

The country has not secured any vaccine from drug manufacturers and is depending on the GAVI/WHO COVAX initiative for poorer nations and the donations.

Pakistan is expecting to get GAVI’s first batch of 2.8 million doses of AstraZeneca sometime later this month, officials said.

Besides Sinopharm and AstraZeneca, Pakistan has approved Russia’s Sputnik and China’s CanSino Biologics Inc’s (CanSinoBIO) vaccines for emergency use.

CanSinoBIO has released interim efficacy results from a multi-country trial, which included Pakistan, showing 65.7% efficacy in preventing symptomatic coronavirus cases and a 90.98% success rate in stopping severe infections.

In the Pakistani subset, efficacy of the CanSinoBIO vaccine at preventing symptomatic cases was 74.8% and 100% at preventing severe disease.

Authorities last week reversed a decision to allow large indoor gatherings like cinemas, theatres and marriage halls in Pakistan after opening up almost all sectors of society.

China initially send 100, 000 vaccines in two shipments as a gift in February. The first 50, 000 vaccines were meant for the general public and another 50, 000 for the military. Later, however, the military gave the vaccines to the civilian authorities for public’s vaccination.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told journalists after attending a recent virtual event marking establishment of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China that China will give an additional 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine as a gift to Pakistan for frontline health workers and senior citizens.

State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi attended the event from Beijing. Foreign Minister Qureshi expressed gratitude to China for additional supply of doses as vaccination process has been underway in Pakistan since February 3.

The country has already begun the vaccination campaign and in the first phase, frontline health workers and those over age 65 were inoculated. In January, the government announced it has secured 17 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine through the UN-led COVAX initiative. Now Pakistan is vaccinating people who are 60 years and above.

Pakistan has also finalised its agreement to purchase the coronavirus vaccine from the Chinese firm Sinopharm.

Under the agreement Sinopharm will provide the vaccine to Pakistan in phases. Dr Faisal Sultan said Pakistan was also in talks with another Chinese company CanSino to buy their vaccine for the 220 million Pakistani population.

Sinopharm, developed by state-run China National Pharmaceutical Group, has shown to be 79% effective. Pakistan is expected to receive the first batch of Chinese company Cansino Bio’s vaccine for COVID-19 within a week after it placed an order for the single-dose vaccine.

Besides the delivery from China, Pakistan is also on the list to receive 17,160,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through the global COVAX platform.