By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: In collaboration with Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI), the first free of cost corona vaccination centre established in the private sector was inaugurated by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar at the Centraurus, Islamabad.
Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI, Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad (East) Babar Sahib Din, Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia District Health Officer Islamabad, ICCI Executive Members and others were present at the occasion.
The vaccination centre has been set up at Centaurus with all required facilities including doctors & nurses, recovery rooms and separate counters for males and females for vaccination. The facility has the capacity to inoculate around 3000 to 4000 persons daily including the members of the business community, employees, their families and visiting customers of 30 years plus age. Addressing as chief guest of the inaugural ceremony, Federal Minister for Planning & Development Asad Umar appreciated the efforts of President ICCI Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, for taking lead in setting up the first vaccination centre in private sector at Centaurus and hoped that it would be a catalyst for others to join hands with the government in its mass vaccination drive across Pakistan.
Asad Umar said that the government has decided to vaccinate at least 70 million people by the end of current year to reduce the adverse efforts of Covid-19 pandemic that would help in removing restrictions on businesses. He said that the government is expediting the vaccination drive by engaging the public and private sectors including chambers of commerce to achieve the target of herd immunity so that business and economic activities could be restored to normal routine.
Speaking at the occasion, President ICCI Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan lauded the government initiative for increasing the outreach of vaccination drive in collaboration with private sector as it was the only way to overcome the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and revive business activities across the country.
He said that to support the government’s vaccination campaign, ICCI has taken the initiative in collaboration with DHO ICT to set up the first vaccination centre in the private sector at Centaurus to set a precedent for others.
He said that Centaurus was getting a footfall of thousands of people daily shopping and availability of a vaccination centre would be a great convenience for them to get vaccinated. He assured that ICCI would work with DHO ICT and NCOC for setting up more vaccination centres in main markets and industrial areas in Islamabad to make the federal capital corona free city of the country.
