-Pakistan hopes to procure vaccine by first quarter of 2021, says Dr Faisal
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved funds on Monday to purchase the Covid-19 vaccine.
The cabinet meeting chaired by PM Imran Khan here in Islamabad approved $150mn to procure an anti-Covid vaccine. The health workers and people above 60 years of age will get the first doses of the coronavirus vaccine in the first stage.
Briefing media about the decisions taken in the federal cabinet meeting regarding the anti-Covid vaccines, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said that the cabinet has approved funds for the advance purchases of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Frontline workers will be given first doses of coronavirus vaccine in the first stage,” said SAPM Faisal, adding that elderly people will be vaccinated in the second stage while the common public will receive the first dose of vaccine in the third stage whenever it becomes available.
The government hopes to procure Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021, SAPM Dr Faisal Sultan told the media.
He further said that govt the cabinet meeting has approved a major reduction in prices of Remdesivir injection used to treat COVID-19 patients. “Govt has fixed price up to Rs5000 for a Remdesivir injection” he added.
Earlier, the federal cabinet had fixed its price up to Rs10,873 on June 16.
Last week, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had approved technical supplementary grant for the advance purchases of COVID-19 vaccines
Faisal Sultan said the Standard Operating Procedures designed by the NCOC need to be followed indiscriminately by all sections of society. The federal cabinet also approved an extension in service of the executive director of the National Institute of Health. The cabinet okays privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and plan for a golden handshake to the employees of the state-owned Pakistan Steel Mills.
The meeting was briefed over Naya Pakistan Housing Authority, Ravi Urban Development and Bundal Island project.
The Cabinet during its meeting on Tuesday also approved the immediate implementation of the castration law for rapists and pedophiles, the sources said, adding that the matter was brought under discussion once again. Members of the Cabinet agreed that there was no need to seek the opinion or willingness of international organizations for the punishment of castration sexual abusers.
