Call to take medics body on board to buy corona vaccine

LAHORE:Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has demanded the government take the medical fraternity’s representative body on board with regard to its plan to procure COVID-19 vaccines and their efficacy.

According to information Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine which is being manufactured by India. Pakistan will acquire this vaccine through COVAX which is a global Alliance for vaccine support; the alliance includes Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and World Health Organization. COVAX has promised to provide free vaccine for 20pc of the population of around 190 countries, including Pakistan. PMA (Centre) Secretary General Dr S.M. Qaisar Sajjad said that the PMA wants to know the dosage of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. “Will it be administered once in life, once a year or more? Who will be the beneficiary of this free vaccine?” he questioned.

PMA and other stakeholders should be taken on board by the government. Healthcare workers both from public and private sector should be administered vaccine on priority basis. Up till now 175 doctors and 30 paramedics have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

The PMA, therefore, demanded that the government should expedite the process of acquiring vaccine for COVID-19. The people above the age of 60 suffering from diabetes, hypertension and cancer or any other uncompromised diseases/drugs should also be vaccinated on priority basis. The PMA said that people above 70 with no diseases should also be vaccinated on priority basis.