Balochistan establishes mass vaccination centre

30 booths have been set up at Civil Hospital Quetta

QUETTA:

The Balochistan government has set up a mass vaccination centre in Quetta to facilitate citizens from all walks of life in inoculating themselves against the novel coronavirus.

This was announced in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Balochistan Health Secretary Noor-ul-Haq Baloch. It was attended by DG Health Balochistan Dr Ali Nasir Bugti, Additional Secretary Health Muhammad Naeem Bazai, Corona Operation Cell Head Dr Naqibullah Niazi, MS Civil Hospital Quetta Dr Arbab Kamran Kasi, Provincial Coordinator EPI Dr Ishaq Panizai, Provincial Coordinator TB Programme Dr Nasir Sheikh, Head of Psychiatric Institute Prof Ghulam Rasool, DHO Quetta Ahmad Zaman Jamali, MS Children’s Hospital Prof Habibullah Babar, DMS BMC Hospital Dr Abdul Rashid Jamali and others.

The mass vaccination centre has been set up inside Civil Hospital Quetta. It comprises 30 booths that are fully equipped to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to the public in large numbers. The inoculation centre initiated its operations on Wednesday.

Read New age-based inoculation policy for health workers

According to sources familiar with the matter, the vaccination centre is only allowed to vaccinate 60-year-olds and people above that age for now.

In this regard, MS Civil Hospital Quetta has directed the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps. The provincial health secretary directed the medical superintendents across the province to complete the second dose of the vaccine for all frontline health workers by March 22.

He also told the hospital staff to increase the number of vaccination counters in the hospital.

On the other hand, the Balochistan chief secretary has said that the third wave of coronavirus is very dangerous and spreading rapidly while the provincial government is taking steps to control the virus.

He maintained that every measure is being taken so that the virus does not reemerge again, urging the people to play their role in dealing effectively with the virus situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2021.