KARACHI: The Sindh government would buy 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China, the health department stated on Monday.

Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho held a meeting with Chinese Consul General Li Bijian and shared matters related to purchase of Covid-19 vaccine, training of healthcare providers and transfer of health technology.

Secretary health Dr Kazim Jatoi was also in attendance.

“It was agreed (in the meeting) that the Sindh government will buy 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China and that doctors and paramedical staff will be sent there for training in traditional Chinese medicine,” stated a health department spokesperson. The Chinese consul general assured the minister of assistance for provision of health technology, he added.

The minister appreciated the support for the elimination of Covid-19 extended by the Chinese government to Pakistan and invited it to help set up hospitals and related facilities in Sindh, he added.

“The minister is engaged with the federal government for permission for the direct purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. The total estimated need of the province is 20m doses of the vaccine. It’s important that the vaccination process continues without any interruption to make the province safe from coronavirus,” he said, while quoting the minister as saying.

Meanwhile, a total of 16,948 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in five days at 12 facilities set up in the province. Ten of the vaccination centres are in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2021