Asad Umar says reports received of vaccines being given to 'close contacts' in Karachi

Chief of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), Asad Umar, on Sunday said that complaints have been received that the coronavirus vaccine is being administered  to "close contacts" in Karachi.

He said that the NCOC team, under the supervision of Prime Minister Imran Khan's adviser on health Dr Faisal Sultan, held a meeting with the Sindh government representatives, where they were "firmly told to ensure that the vaccine is only given to healthcare workers".

Furthermore, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill questioned whether the "mafia that had done the most politicking over coronavirus is still more worried about the elite rather than front line health workers".

"Are vaccinations given by the federation being administered to the families of politicians before front line health workers?" he asked, as he shared photos of people receiving the vaccine.

"Then (Chief Minister Sindh) Murad Ali Shah says he is not answerable to anyone. Shameful," Gill added.

Deputy District Officer suspended

The premier's aide also attached a notification issued by the Sindh Health Department, according to which the Deputy District Officer of the District Health Office of District East has been suspended.

"The services of Dr Aneela Qureshi [...] are hereby placed under suspension and she is directed to report at Health Department, Government of Sindh," read the notification.

Furthermore, an inquiry committee had been formed, to be headed by Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi, Provincial Coordinator EOC, which will probe violation of SOPs during the administering of vaccines at Adult Vaccination Centre, Ojha Campus, Dow University, Karachi.

"He shall submit a report within three working days", according to the notification.

Pakistan kicks off vaccination drive

Pakistan obtained the first 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm coronavirus vaccine as a gift from China on February 1, after which Prime Minister Imran Khan kicked off Pakistan's coronavirus vaccination drive the next day.

China has also confirmed that a second consignment of the vaccine, another half a million doses of the vaccine will be brought to Pakistan via a special flight of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Monday.

Sindh launched its vaccine drive on February 3.

According to Dr Nadeem Sheikh, the director of the directorate of health services in Karachi, there are 64,000 registered healthcare professionals in Karachi alone and there are 120 cubicles in 10 vaccination centres that have been made to inoculate the city's health workers.