Local vaccine production will help meet the increasing demand within the country
National Institute of Health (NIH) plans to make Pakistan’s own single-dose coronavirus vaccine soon, according to Executive Director NIH Major General Aamer Ikram. He gave this information to the NA Standing Committee on National Health Services. “We are going to make a single-dose vaccine for Covid-19,” Ikram said. “We conducted the clinical trial of Chinese Covid-19 vaccine CanSinoBio in Pakistan.
The general said that the Chinese team is in Pakistan which will oversee the process. He also added that the NIH act’s amendment will allow restructuring of the organization will make it more vibrant.
“Our team is ready to undertake this task while a Chinese team has also arrived in Pakistan. The Chinese team will oversee our team at the NIH,” Ikram said. “Under the new law, there will be seven executive directors and one chief executive director. Employees of the departments merged with the NIH will be able to get a golden handshake within three months.”
He added that Pakistan was a part of the CanSinoBio vaccine trials. Ikram while speaking to the media further added that China will transfer the technology and the raw materials for the vaccine preparation soon.
“Pakistan had requested China to transfer the technology for the vaccine. The raw material for the vaccine is going to arrive this month,” the general said. “We hope that we will be able to take some measures for the preparation of the vaccine by the end of April. The NIH has procured all the equipment and chemicals needed in this regard.”
An important step
Vaccine preparation in Pakistan is a great step since it will allow greater availability of vaccines in the country. It will also lower the time needed to procure the vaccine will be needed, with no international trade delays.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Searle Company signed an agreement with a China’s Livzon Pharmaceutical Group to manufacture its V-01 coronavirus vaccine in Pakistan. It was the first contract to begin the domestic production of COVID-19 vaccine.