ISLAMABAD, Sep 2 – The Covid-19 vaccines are regularly coming from China to support Pakistan’s anti-pandemic campaign, said Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar on Wednesday afternoon.
“China has been very helpful. The vaccines are regularly coming from China to push our cause forward. China has played a great role in our anti-Covid fight,” Umar told.
The Planning Minister said the recent approval of the Chinese vaccines by Saudi Arabia had been widely welcomed in the country. “We have so many people working in Saudi Arabia. This was a great news for them,” he added.
Earlier in the day, in a series of tweets, Umar said some 20 out of 24 cities met the target of vaccinating 40 percent population of 18 years and above.
“We had set a minimum target of 40% of 18 plus population being partially vaccinated by end of August for 24 large cities. Out of these 20 met the target,” he said. The cities that missed the target are Hyderabad, Mardan, Nowshera and Quetta.
The minister who is also head of the COVID monitoring body said, the vaccination targets for 24 large cities by end of September had also been set as 60 percent (partial vaccination) and 40 percent (full vaccination) of eligible population.
“These are tough targets, especially for full vaccination but achievable with a focused effort and high-quality execution,” he added.
With respect to the daily vaccination, the minister informed that single day vaccination crossed one and a half million for the first time.
“Both first dose and second dose vaccinations on Sep 1 were highest ever with 1,071,000 and 519,000 respectively,” he added.
He said 35 percent of national eligible population had received at least one dose. “Islamabad is at 69%, Azad Kashmir 51%, Gilgit Baltistan 39%, Punjab 37%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwah 35%, Sindh 32% and Balochistan 12%,” Asad Umar said.
