Citizens To Get Free Of Cost Covid-19 Vaccine By Govt: Nausheen Hamid

Parliamentary Secretary National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) Dr. Nausheen Hamid Wednesday said that cabinet has approved initial funds to purchase COVID-19 vaccine and government would provide free of cost Covid-19 vaccine to citizens

ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Dec, 2020 ) :Parliamentary Secretary National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) Dr. Nausheen Hamid Wednesday said that cabinet has approved initial funds to purchase COVID-19 vaccine and government would provide free of cost Covid-19 vaccine to citizens.

Talking to a private news channel , she said government has been working to arrange funds or vaccine and in the meantime China developed Covid-19 vaccines and its 3rd phase of trials were under process that would be available in the second quarter of 2021adding je said phase 3 clinical trials were proceeding smoothly and the vaccines could be ready for the general public soon, she added.

She said it was an honour for Pakistan ranking amongst few countries who were participating in "the biggest and relatively difficult" phase-3 study on the vaccine, when added that "the entire world is looking for a medication to combat COVID-19." Nausheen assured that the vaccine would be available in the market, "once its efficacy proved".

She added that several companies were working on the development of a vaccine and have been shortlisted and initial negotiations were under discussion.

She said the government will consider multiple factors before procuring a vaccine, which include: the type of vaccine, its efficacy, its safety and side effects, storage requirements, cost, production capacity of the manufacturer and whether Pakistan has access to procure that vaccine.

She said that vaccines on low or cheap rates would be available from 186 countries platform COVAX. Pakistan will also buy vaccines from the COVAX platform. The whole world is booking vaccines, we are also in touch with everyone.

Dr. Nausheen Hamid said that orders are being placed keeping in view the availability and number of vaccines.

She said talks were underway with three companies to buy the vaccine, $100 million has been approved for the purchase of the vaccine. The COVAX platform will provide vaccine to 20% of the country s population.

Replying to a question, she said country is in the grip of a second coronavirus wave, which could prove to be more lethal than the first wave but government has increased its capacity all across the country' hospitals.

She said unfortunately mass rallies have continued to take place in the country since the start of the pandemic where numbers and frequency have increased in the past few weeks, especially with opposition parties holding massive anti-government rallies in different cities.

She said the government alone cannot fight the war against coronavirus. We have to win this war as a nation and asked people to act responsibly, she added.

She urged media to "continuously counsel" people on what precautions to take and how to go through this "difficult period".

Replying to another question she said country hospitals have more human resources and equipments for the purpose.