The first batch of 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm has been received from China that will enable Pakistan to begin its vaccination drive this week.
On Monday, the first batch of Chinese COVID-19 vaccine reached Pakistan, said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan. A special Pakistan Air Force (PAF) plane with the first tranche of Sinopharm vaccine landed in Islamabad earlier today.
SAPM Dr. Faisal Sultan took to twitter and special thanked China and everyone who made this happen and said the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) and provinces played an instrumental role in tackling COVID-19.
He posted, “Alhamdulilah the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine has arrived! Grateful to China and everyone who made this happen. NCOC & provinces played an instrumental role in tackling COVID. I salute our frontline healthcare workers for their efforts & they’ll be first to get vaccinated.”
Alhamdulilah the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine has arrived! Grateful to China and everyone who made this happen. NCOC & provinces played an instrumental role in tackling COVID. I salute our frontline healthcare workers for their efforts & they'll be first to get vaccinated
— Faisal Sultan (@fslsltn) February 1, 2021
According to the details released by NCOC, all necessary measures have been put in place for vaccine storage in Islamabad and the move of vaccines to various federating units particularly to Sindh and Balochistan through the air.
Last week, during a phone call with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Wang Yi China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister promised to provide 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Pakistan by 31st January. In this regard, Beijing had asked Islamabad to send an airplane to get the vaccines.
Furthermore, Hua Chunying Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson confirmed that the Chinese government would provide a batch of vaccines as aid, it added that it would actively coordinate with the relevant Chinese enterprise to speed up the export of vaccines to Pakistan as it aims to support the brothers and sisters in Pakistan.
