Corona vaccine to be introduced after successful trials: Punjab minister

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has said the Punjab government shall introduce vaccine after successful trials.

“The trials are being conducted as per international protocols. Only after successful trials, the true assessment can be made about the efficacy of the vaccine. The side-effects of the Corona vaccine are being reviewed,” she said while addressing a press conference at the Chief Minister Secretariat here on Monday.

The health minister said that all vaccine manufacturers were in contact with the federal government. However, an apex Vaccine Management Committee, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, has been constituted whose members include Chief Secretary Punjab, IG Punjab, representative of Punjab Healthcare Commission and the Health Minister herself. Committees have been constituted at district level, she said.

While condemning the rumours being spread about the corona pandemic and vaccines, the minister said that the government had not yet got any vaccine, while the process of registration has been initiated.

The storage of the vaccine is very important and facility has been arranged at all districts of Punjab. The storage has been arranged at 2385 ice-lined refrigerators across Punjab. Cold rooms have been ensured in all districts and the Vaccine Management Committees shall be headed by deputy commissioners, she said.

The storage facility shall be available at all Teaching Hospitals, DHQs and THSQs. As many as 637 people have been trained and 76 Master Trainers shall train other vaccinators. So far about 300,000 health workers have already been registered for vaccination and over all 500,000 people shall be vaccinated initially. Initially, only health workers shall be vaccinated and in the second phase, people above 60 years of age shall be vaccinated, she said.

“Both WHO and China have promised to provide us vaccines for 2 million people free of cost and in time. The government is in negotiations with the Sino Pharma for timely provision of vaccine for which we have allocated Rs 250 million. The entire world is praising Pakistan for effectively controlling the Corona Pandemic. We have started the indigenous production of Anti Rabies vaccine and previously we had no option but to buy it from India as the last government did nothing on this front,” the minister said.

The health minister said that the government was making all out efforts to secure academic year for students by implementing the SOPs.