Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to approach international donors for financial assistance to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
The government will contact the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and UNICEF for funding for the bulk-buying of doses of the vaccine. The health ministry will approach the multilateral donors through the Economic Affairs Division.
It will negotiate with them for financial assistance or a loan with no strings attached, the sources said, adding the health ministry has begun working on a coherent plan for the purpose.
The federal government on November 20 conditionally approved $150 million funds to procure the coronavirus vaccine for 5% of the country’s population. It has also decided to request G-20 countries for additional debt relief of $915 million.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet “approved, in principle, the provision of technical supplementary grant of $150 million for the purchase of the Covid-19 vaccine,” said a handout issued by the Ministry of Finance on Friday.
The ECC also approved diverting funds meant for religious education towards the prime minister’s skill scheme. It also allowed importing another 340,000 metric tons of wheat at $286.75 per ton price, taking the total imported quantity to over 2.2 million tons to bridge the shortfall.
It also approved Rs19.7 billion to clear liabilities of about 9,350 employees of the country’s biggest industrial unit – the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM). These employees will be laid off.
