Federal govt takes step for early provision of Covid-19 vaccine

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The federal government has taken step for early provision of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine on Thursday. The Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination has accelerated efforts for early availability of coronavirus vaccine. The technical committee has prepared recommendations under the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) guidelines. “The experts working under the coronavirus vaccine committee has finalised recommendations about the Covid-19 vaccine and the health ministry will present its recommendations to the Prime Minister Imran Khan next month, according to NIH statement. It further said that currently six COVID-19 vaccine candidates have entered phase-3 trials and country’s Covid-19 vaccine committee has proposed a partnership with international vaccine alliance, Gavi to procure vaccine. “The committee has proposed to increase cooperation with China for development of Covid-19 vaccine and trails,” said the health ministry and added that vaccine will be provided to people affected by Covid-19 on immediate basis once it will get ready for public use. The special Covid-19 committee also said that Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) resources will be utilized for delivery of vaccines. A spokesman for the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad said that the vaccine under trial is the one being prepared by Chinese biotech firm, CanSino Biologics, and Beijing Institute of Biotechnology. The vaccine trial in Pakistan is being carried out under the supervision of the NIH head, who is the principal investigator of the programme.