Pakistan administered more than 2.3 million vaccine doses in one week setting a national record
Pakistan receives 1.55 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine from China via a special plane of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Sunday to help address the shortage of jabs in the country
The fresh batch was part of the “planned contracted quantity purchased from China”, National Command and Control Centre (NCOC) said in a statement.
Measures had been taken to transport the doses to all federating units as per their requirement, the NCOC said. “China, as a time-tested friend of Pakistan, has taken special measures to ensure the uninterrupted supply of vaccine to Pakistan,” the NCOC said.
Another tranche of two to three million Chinese vaccine doses is expected next week, which would be followed by continuous supply.
The vaccine doses arrive at a crucial time for the country as vaccination centers in major cities of Pakistan reported a shortage of doses. Vaccination in several clinics in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and Rawalpindi either suspended or slowed down the process as the vaccine supplies exhausted.
Pakistan has administered nearly 13 million of the total 14.5 million doses the country received.
NCOC chief Asad Umar said more than 2.3 million coronavirus vaccine doses were administered in Pakistan during the last week (June 12 – 18) which was “the highest” vaccination rate for Pakistan so far.