Another 528,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine arrive in Pakistan

By
Amina Amir

August 07, 2021

A signage of Sinopharm is seen at the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), following the COVID-19 outbreak, in Beijing, China September 5, 2020. — Reuters/Tingshu Wang
A signage of Sinopharm is seen at the 2020 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), following the COVID-19 outbreak, in Beijing, China September 5, 2020. — Reuters/Tingshu Wang
  • Consignment carrying 792,000 Sinopharm doses brought to Pakistan last night, country receives 528,000 more today.
  • By Sunday, a total of two million doses will have arrived.
  • Health ministry aims to procure over 30 million doses in August.

Another consignment of the Sinopharm vaccine has arrived in Pakistan, officials affiliated with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination said Saturday.

According to the health department officials, 528,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine were received by Pakistan today, whereas a consignment of 792,000 jabs of the vaccine had been obtained last night.

A third consignment, containing 680,000 doses, will arrive tomorrow.

“A total of two million doses will have been procured by Pakistan by Sunday," they said.

According to the officials, the doses will be distributed among the provinces according to their requirement.

Vaccine shortage hits Karachi

On Thursday, Karachi was reportedly facing a shortage of vaccines.

With thousands of people thronging vaccination centres across the city, a shortage of the Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines is being witnessed, Sindh Health Department officials said.

The health department officials said vaccine reserves have been exhausted at Dow Ojha Hospital, and Sindh Government Children Hospital, while supplies to inoculation centres at New Karachi, Liaquatabad, and Lyari have been suspended.

The officials said the first dose of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines are not being administered, while a sparse number of jabs were available for those seeking a second dose.

Pakistan seeks to procure millions of doses

Earlier this week, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination officials said that the federal government aims to procure more than 30 million more vaccine doses in August.

The officials said the vaccines are being purchased to keep the inoculation process smooth as the country battles the fourth COVID-19 wave.

On Monday, Pakistan achieved the one-million daily vaccination mark, with Islamabad becoming the first city to get 50% of its eligible population vaccinated with at least one dose.