WASHINGTON: The United States announced to donate at least 16 million doses of vaccination against Covid-19 to Pakistan.
The announcement was made by the State Department during a health conference between the US and Pakistan in Washington.
The vaccines will be delivered in partnership with Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX). Further, in line with the pledge of global vaccine equity, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will also be funding the vaccination efforts of Islamabad amid its crippling financial crunch.
Washington has already sent 61.5 million of several coronavirus vaccines to Pakistan on top of $4.6 million for four testing labs by the USAID.
“These lapses will strengthen Pakistan’s ability to diagnose Covid-19 and other communicable diseases,” a statement issued to this effect said. Washington is also hoping to build upon the Pakistan Field Epidemiology Training Programme to coordinate efforts on disease surveillance and response systems.
The discussions at the dialogue centred on establishing Pakistan’s version of the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Further, the representatives of the two nations also deliberated on childhood immunisations, child and maternity care and other communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Whist the meeting was led by United States Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace and co-led by USAID Assistant Administrator Atul Gawande. It also included representatives from the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Representing Pakistan was Minister of National Health Services Abdul Qadir Patel, and the delegation also included officials from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), Federal Directorate of Immunisation, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
