Govt vaccinates 70m as Omicron cases rise

Umar says 46% of country’s eligible population fully vaccinated against Covid-19

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:

The government on Friday announced that it had achieved the target of fully vaccinating 70 million people by the end of 2021 as cases of the virus’ highly contagious Omicron variant continue to rise across the country.

“To achieve this, our federal government alone procured vaccines worth almost Rs250 billion and provided free vaccines to citizens in all the provinces,” Prime Minister Imran Khan wrote in a tweet.

We have completed our target of fully vaccinating 7 crore of our people by end of 2021. To achieve this our federal govt alone procured vaccines worth almost Rs 250 bn. & provided free vaccines to citizens in all the provinces.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 31, 2021

The prime minister was grateful for the “tireless and coordinated” work carried out by the NCOC, the federal and provincial administrations as well as health teams to ensure the success of government's vaccination programme.

I want to thank the tireless & coordinated work done by the NCOC, federal & provincial administrations & health teams to ensure success of our govt's vaccination prog.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 31, 2021

Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar also announced that 46% of Pakistan’s eligible population was fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and 63% had received at least one jab.

Taking to Twitter, Umar, who also heads the NCOC, pointed out that Islamabad led the federating units with 77% of its population being fully vaccinated.

Read 75 cases of Omicron variant confirmed in Pakistan

The capital was followed by Punjab at 51%, Gilgit-Baltistan at 46%, Azad Jammu and Kashmir at 45%, Balochistan at 42%, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa at 41%, and Sindh at 37%.

Amongst the Federating units Islamabad leads with 77 % fully vaccinated. Punjab is at 51 %, GB 46 %, AJK 45 %, balochistan 42 %, KP 41%, and sind at 37 %. Of the total eligible population 46 % is fully vaccinated and 63 % has recieved atleast one dose.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) December 31, 2021

He emphasised that “100% of [the] vaccine procurement” was carried out by the federal government, which provided free anti-Covid jabs to citizens across the country “regardless of which province they live in”.

To make this massive vaccination drive possible, the Federal Government has procured vaccines worth nearly Rs. 250 Billion. 100% of vaccine procurement done by the federal government, which has provided free vaccines to all citizens regardless of which province they live in.

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) December 31, 2021

He expressed his gratitude to the NCOC team, federal and provincial administrations and health teams for their hard work to help achieve the target "that people were considering impossible".

Separately, the Omicron variant has been confirmed in 11 members of the same family in Karachi. Sources in the Sindh Health Department said the family, which lived in in the East district of the city, included eight women and three men. The patients ranged in age from 26 to 77 years. The district health officer had recommended to the deputy commissioner to impose a smart lockdown in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 7 neighbourhood of the city.

In Islamabad, 15 members of the same family have been diagnosed with Omicron.

District Health Officer Dr Zaeem Zia said the 15 people were attending a wedding in Islamabad.

“The screening of other guests at the wedding is under way,” he added.

(With input from APP)