Pakistan to get more 40mln COVID-19 vaccine doses from COVAX

ISLAMABAD (APP): Pakistan will get 40 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the first quarter of current year under the COVAX facility, said United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Pakistan on Wednesday.
UNICEF Pakistan told APP that since May 2021 Pakistan has already received over 91 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine under COVAX facility. It was half of the total 175 million doses which were administrated in the country so far, added UNICEF Pakistan.
Global donor agency told that UNICEF also delivered 41 ultra-cold chain equipment and huge quantity of personal protective equipment, syringes, laboratory equipment and other essential supplies.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 emergency, more than 150 million people (60 per cent of the population) were reached with messages on COVID-19 prevention and access to services through national Media channels with UNICEF support, and more than 50 million at-risk people were reached through community engagement activities. Moreover, almost 9 million people received information and guidance through a national Helpline supported by UNICEF”, the UN agency said.
The donor agency informed that since the outbreak of COVID-19 UNICEF also tried to mitigate socio-economic impacts of the pandemic and supported vulnerable families and children through provision of safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, safe formal and non-formal education, primary health care services and immunization, screening and treatment of malnutrition.
“UNICEF also supports the government to address the gender gap in COVID-19 vaccination through door-to-door vaccination drives, establishment of vaccine booths for women as well as recruiting female vaccinators (more than 200) to increase the uptake of vaccine among women”, UNICEF Pakistan said.
COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and World Health Organization. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.