Follow Us on Google News
KARACHI: A serious shortage of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines is being witnessed at several vaccinations centres in Karachi, Sindh Health Department officials said today (Thursday).
According to the health department, vaccine reserves have been exhausted at Expo Centre, Dow Ojha Hospital, and Sindh Government Children Hospital, while supplies to inoculation centres at New Karachi, Liaquatabad, and Lyari have been suspended.
The first dose of Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca vaccines are not being administered, while a sparse number of jabs were available for those seeking a second dose. The majority of the people are being administered the Moderna vaccine.
The officials have informed that people had started visiting nearby and drive-through vaccination centres after the government had increased the number of inoculation centres. “It will take at least a week for more vaccine doses to arrive in the province”, they said.
Vaccination centres were overrun after the government announced penalties for the unvaccinated, including blocked mobile SIMs and barred access to offices, restaurants, shopping malls, and transport.
Earlier this week, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination officials had said the federal government aims to procure more than 30 million more vaccine doses in August.
The officials said the vaccines are being purchased to keep the inoculation process smooth as the country battles the fourth COVID-19 wave.
On Monday, Pakistan achieved the one-million daily doses mark, with Islamabad becoming the first city to get 50% of its eligible population vaccinated with at least one dose.