Pakistan has allocated $1bn to procure coronavirus vaccines to vaccinate 70mn people by the year's end, said sources according to Geo News.
Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin gave the go-ahead when he approved $1bn funds during a meeting of the cabinet's Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) Wednesday, said sources.
The ECC greenlighted to release $180mn in the first phase of the procurement, confirmed sources, adding that the funds will be issued to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The vaccines that the government intends to buy with these funds are CanSinoBio, Sinovac, Sinopharm and Pfizer to vaccinate Pakistani masses.
Other decisions taken during the committee's meeting included the approval of fee grants for students in the country’s backward areas, said sources.
It also agreed to establish a fund for the "Ehsaas Koi Bhooka Na Soye Programme", a policy initiative of the government to eliminate hunger across Pakistan.
The ECC okayed a technical supplementary grant of Rs1.16bn for the controller general and a technical grant of Rs378 mn for the Ministry of Education, sources added.
A technical supplementary grant of Rs330mn was also approved for the auditor general, said sources.
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