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WHO assures SAPM Dr Faisal Sultan on commitment to deliver COVID-19 vaccine to all countries

By
Web Desk

March 24, 2021

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and SAPM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

  • WHO assures SAPM Dr Faisal Sultan that UN body and COVAX partners are committed to delivering vaccines to all countries despite supply challenges
  • WHO says it is working with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to speed up the 'emergency use listing process'.
  • Dr Sultan thanks WHO, says he is 'grateful' to the WHO director-general for his 'support and assurance'.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) assured Special Assistant to PM (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan that it is working with vaccine manufacturers to ensure the drug is delivered to all countries despite “supply challenges”.

“Thanks for a good call, Faisal Sultan, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Assistant for National Health Services. WHO and the COVAX partners are committed to delivering vaccines to all countries despite supply challenges,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted after a phone call with Dr Sultan.

The WHO chief said he “reassured” the SAPM that the global health agency is working with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to speed up the “emergency use listing process”.

He added that by speeding up the process, COVAX will be able to “expand its portfolio and deliver doses quicker and in larger quantities” to all countries.

This morning, Dr Sultan also shared details of the “productive conversation” he had with the WHO chief on vaccine supply.

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“I had a very productive conversation last evening with Dr Tedros on COVID vaccine supply chain especially via GAVI to maintain an adequate and consistent availability, across the world,” said Dr Sultan. He added that he was “grateful” to the WHO director-general for his “support and assurance”.

Currently, Pakistan is vaccinating the country's healthcare workers and people over the age of 60 after launching the vaccination drive on February 2.

Pakistan is using the Sinopharm vaccine developed by state-run China National Pharmaceutical Group, which has shown to be 79% effective.