US delivers another 320,580 Pfizer vaccine doses for Sindh

US Consul General Mark Stroh and Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho have welcomed the arrival of 320,580 new Pfizer vaccine doses sent by the United States through the COVAX facility to the people of Sindh.

This shipment is part of a 6.6 million Pfizer dose tranche of vaccine the United States has sent to Pakistan. This tranche is the fourth such delivery the US has sent to Pakistan, bringing the total number of vaccine doses donated to Pakistan to nearly 16 million.

“I am proud to represent the people of the United States as we partner with the Pakistani people to defeat Covid-19,” said Consul General Stroh during a handover ceremony at the Sindh government’s ultra-cold chain facility in Karachi.

“We’re making this donation to save Pakistani lives and to end this pandemic. Together, we will continue to build a world that is safer and more secure against the threat of infectious diseases.”

The US has provided more than $50.5 million in Covid-19 assistance through our partnership with the Government of Pakistan, including a donation of 52 ventilators in Sindh to care for Covid-19 patients, personal protective equipment, and pulse oximeters.

Since the start of the pandemic, the US has worked together with Pakistan to improve infection prevention and control, enhance patient care, expand laboratory testing, disease monitoring, and case tracking in all districts, and support frontline healthcare workers.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pechuho gave details regarding the ways in which the Sindh Health Department was leading the vaccination drive across the province, and in the face of myths and hesitation, the government has taken initiatives to overcome this.

“As of now, there are implementations in place to monitor transport, hotels, industries, banks and schools so as to ensure that those who manage and use these services are all vaccinated,” she said, adding that the corporate sector, such as JS Bank and HBL, had collaborated with the Sindh Health Department to open vaccination centres across the city, such as

the Drive Thru Vaccination Centre at the National Stadium in partnership with HBL.

There are, however, she maintained, some geographical obstacles, as some of the population reside in remote and difficult-to-access areas; besides there are rumors of conspiracy theories surrounding Covid and its vaccine.

The health minister mentioned that due to several developed countries adding Pakistan to the red list, life had become especially difficult for the Pakistani diaspora not being able to meet their families for long periods of time, or to return to their countries after visiting Pakistan.

Receiving these vaccines has been a great boost for the province, especially as the Pfizer vaccine is particularly beneficial to younger receivers, pregnant women and those with comorbidities.