Pakistan to get millions of Moderna, Sinovac, Sputnik doses in coming week

KARACHI: Pakistan is expected to receive around 2.5 million doses of Moderna’s mRNA 1273 Covid-19 vaccine ‘on Monday or Tuesday’ through COVAX while 100,000 doses of Russian Sputnik V vaccine being acquired through bilateral purchase, would also reach Pakistan next week, officials said.

“The consignment of 2.5 million doses of Moderna’s mRNA 1273 Covid-19 vaccine is expected to arrive on Monday or Tuesday through COVAX. Pakistan has also signed an agreement for the purchase of one million doses of Russian Sputnik V vaccine, whose 100,000 doses are also expected to reach Pakistan early next week,” an official of the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS,R&C) told The News on Saturday.

“We would also receive three million doses of Sinovac doses on June 29 so there would be millions of doses available to inoculate a large number of the population in the country in July,” he added. The official maintained that Pakistan would also receive over 12 million doses of AstraZeneca and an unspecified number of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine through COVAX in July but added so far the actual date has not yet been communicated to Pakistan.

“We have conveyed the regulatory requirements to the COVAX regarding use of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine in Pakistan. According to Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), any vaccine that has emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European Medicine Agency (EMA) can be imported and used in Pakistan,” the official said, adding that now they were awaiting for flight details of the consignment.

Pakistan would also get at least 1 million doses of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine by the end of July through COVAX, the official said adding besides, COAX would also provide over 12 million doses of AstraZeneca’s Bovishield vaccine either by the end of July or early August.

“Similarly, Pakistan would acquire two million doses of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine in July through bilateral purchase by the National Disaster Management Authority,” the official said, adding that there would be no dearth of vaccine in the days to come in Pakistan. “Three million doses of Sinovac vaccine from China are also landing on June 29th so in July, we would have plenty of vaccine doses in the country,” the official added.