Provinces told to set up mass vaccination centers by Thursday

KARACHI: The federal authorities have directed provincial governments to establish Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Centers (CVCs) in 15 major cities of the country with multiple counters and having facilities for ‘vaccinating thousands in a day’ by Thursday as two to three million doses of three different vaccines are expected to reach Pakistan within the next few days, health officials told The News on Monday.

Similarly, walk-in facility is being opened for people older than 70 years from Tuesday, March 16, 2021, officials said adding that “all such persons can get themselves vaccinated at any nearest health facility, after registration on 1166”. Population of age 60-69 years will continue to be scheduled as per existing procedure, till further announcement, officials said adding that provinces and districts have been directed to keep sufficient stocks at health facilities for vaccination of senior citizens, and it should be more than the vaccine reserved as the second dose for scheduled persons.

“It has been decided by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) that in addition to existing COVID Vaccination Centers (CVCs), all provinces are required to establish Mass CVCs on the pattern of Expo Center Lahore in all major cities including but not limited to following: ICT (Islamabad), Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hyderabad, Muzaffarabad, Mirpur, Abbotabad/Manshera”, a notification issued by the NCOC said on Monday. The NCOC notification further directs provincial governments to take all necessary steps and make these Mass CVCs functional by March 17.

Federal health officials said Pakistan was expected to get around two to three million doses of three different vaccines from China and through COVAX facility, adding that they would be used to vaccinate adult population at these Mass CVCs in different cities of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

“Pakistan is expected to get half a million more doses of Sinopharm vaccine this week while we have ordered to purchase 60,000 doses of single-dose Chinese vaccine Cansino Bio, which is also expected to reach Islamabad within this week. Similarly, AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX facility is expected to reach Pakistan this month, most likely this week or latest by the start of next week”, a senior health official said. The National Health Services (NHS) officials said a list of priority groups was being prepared by the authorities, and the people on this list would be asked to get themselves on 1166 or National Immunization Management System once Mass COVID-19 Vaccination Centers are established and get functional.