Pakistan to get ‘Made in India’ coronavirus vaccines soon

Gulf Today Report

Pakistan will soon get 'made-in-India' coronavirus vaccines, sources have said, under the United Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation or GAVI, a public-private global health partnership to increase access to immunisation in poor countries.

Pakistan will be getting 45 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, being manufactured in India, according to reports in sections of the Indian media.

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India has supplied vaccines to 65 countries so far under three categories – as part of the global vaccine alliance, in the form of grant or aid (free of cost), and through commercial sales. All of India's neighbours, except Pakistan, are among the countries that got these vaccines.

Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal and Bangladesh began their vaccine rollout using 'Made in India' vaccines.

These Covid-19 vaccine doses are among those bought by GAVI, which works to increase access to immunisation in poor countries, from India.

Afghanistan, Maldives, Nepal and Bangladesh began their vaccine rollout using 'Made in India' vaccines.

Last year, the United GAVI alliance pledged to provide free vaccines for 20 per cent of the population of around 190 countries, including Pakistan.

While discussions on logistics are still on, it is expected that 45 million doses of Covishield – developed by Pune-based Serum Institute of India – will be sent to Pakistan from India. Adar Poonawalla's Serum Institute is the world's largest vaccine maker. Pakistan has logged over 5.95 lakh cases of coronavirus so far.

In a related development, Pakistan has started vaccinating people who are 60 years old or above to protect them from COVID-19 amid a steady increase in cases and fatalities from the disease, according to The Associated Press.

Pakistan is currently using China's Sinopharm vaccine, which was donated to it by Beijing last month.

Fatalities and confirmed cases from the coronavirus have increased steadily since March 1, when Pakistan resumed regular classes at schools. On Wednesday, Pakistani authorities were expected to decide whether schools should again be closed.