Third spell: Punjab’s plan for inoculation amid growing cases

Sources allege interruption in vaccine import, government yet to finalise a concrete policy for resumptions

LAHORE:

As Punjab’s vaccination scheme enters its second phase, the province has once again found itself in the grips of yet another coronavirus wave.

Amid surging cases, the province has been able to vaccinate a majority of its frontline health workers, now proceeding to administer the life-saving serum to those aged 60 and above. According to National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) records, there are over 7,500,000 people, including both men and women, due for vaccination in Punjab. Yet however, only 300,000 people have so far registered despite the government setting up separate counters across the province, in addition to the inoculation facility at Lahore Expo Centre, to expedite the process.

Per Punjab Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Captain (retd) Usman Younis, the data acquired from NADRA is currently being used to reach out to all elderly people in the province though various reliable channels. “Everyone due for vaccination will soon be registered. We are constantly sending out messages and reminders to all those who fall in the bracket to have themselves registered and vaccinated from the concerned inoculation centres,” told Younis.

Up till now, Punjab has received over 110,000 injections from the federal government. In that, some 70,000 were received in the preliminary phase of the vaccination process while about 40,000 were granted later. “Going forward, the government will receive an additional 450,000 injections for the campaign’s second phase, following which we will start targeting other age brackets, like people aged 50 and above,” the secretary informed.

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Punjab’s serum of choice is the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine, which is flouted to be 79 to 86 per cent effective against the novel coronavirus. Per details shared by the healthcare department secretary, over 96,000 frontline workers have so far received the said vaccine. However, for the province’s elderly, the government has set up a total of 114 vaccination centres, each with 8-10 counters, across Punjab, instead of administering the drug at public hospitals. “This has allowed us to vaccinate over 4,219 senior citizens in the last 24 hours. Whereas the remaining are required to sign up for their shot immediately and visit their respective vaccination centres,” shared Younis.

Ceased imports

However, according to sources privy to the inoculation process, the government has currently halted the import of vaccines, owing to a probable shortage in funds. “The Sinopharm vaccine requires two doses to work. So Punjab needs to import enough vaccines for over 60 million doses, which would require billions in funds. Where the government doesn’t not have a concrete policy to resume the import of vaccines, the private sector is however finalising an import strategy for the Russian-made serums,” the source told, requesting anonymity.

The National Accountancy Bureau (NAB) Lahore, has also summoned the private laboratory management, under accountability law section 33-C and B-27, on reports received regarding the import and probable price-spiking of the Russian vaccine. In relation to which, the private laboratory is required to brief the bureau. The bureau’s Awareness and Prevention (A&P) wing was given a comprehensive briefing on the possible import of the Russian vaccine.

In which, it was shared that the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has granted permission to three pharma companies for clinical trials, while the Russian vaccine Sputnik-V has not been imported yet. “The ex-factory price of each dose is $20. The Punjab health department is taking further steps in the said regard, which will be briefed to the provincial chief minister in the next few days and final permission will then be taken,” the source informed The Express Tribune.