by Shafqat Ali

 

KARACHI, Feb. 10 (Gwadar Pro) –Sindh provincial government will buy 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from China, the health department said. The Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho met with Chinese Consul General Li Bijian and shared matters related to purchase of Covid-19 vaccine, training of healthcare providers and transfer of health technology, according to an official statement.  

 

“It was agreed (in the meeting) that the Sindh government will buy 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from China and that doctors and paramedical staff will be sent there for training in traditional Chinese medicine,” said a health department spokesperson. 

 

The Chinese Consul General assured the minister of assistance for provision of health technology, he added. 

 

“The minister is engaged with the federal government for permission for the direct purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. The total estimated need of the province is 20m doses of the vaccine. It’s important that the vaccination process continues without any interruption to make the province safe from coronavirus,” he said, quoting the minister.

 

Sindh government is currently administering the Covid-19 vaccines donated by China to Pakistan. In the first phase, the frontline health workers are being vaccinated across Pakistan with the Chinese aid.   

 

On Tuesday, China said it will continue to provide support and assistance to Pakistan for its efforts against Coronavirus, economic recovery and social development in accordance with its needs.

 

The assurance was given by Chinese Foreign Ministry's Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, while responding to a question during his regular briefing in Beijing.

 

He said China and Pakistan had been supporting each other since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and these concrete steps illustrate our iron brother relationship.