Asad Umar: Private sector allowed to import Covid-19 vaccines

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said on Saturday that the federal government would not hold a monopoly on the import of coronavirus vaccines; adding that provinces and the private sector were free to import vaccines; subject to the approval of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap).

Umar — who also serves as chief of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) — made the statement on a talk show in local tv channel. “From day 1, the NCOC has adopted the policy that the federal government shall not have the monopoly to import anti-coronavirus vaccines,” he said. “Provinces and private entities including hospitals have been allowed to import the vaccines that are approved by Drap.”

Umar said that once the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved by the regulatory authority; it may be imported by the Sindh government if the latter could procure supplies from abroad. He further said that he encouraged not only the Sindh government “but all provincial governments to import the vaccine from abroad”.

He was responding to Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho’s comments from earlier in the day; where she had urged the federal government to allow the provincial government; to procure a vaccine for the novel coronavirus as she criticised; the Centre over its ‘slow approach’ in ordering vaccines. She had further said that the Centre should also play; its part in providing vaccines to Sindh but the provincial government must be allowed to procure vaccines for its residents.

Umar said he wanted to clear any misunderstandings; stating that provinces were free as a matter of policy since day one to import vaccines after approval.

Sinopharm vaccine

The NCOC chief also addressed and gave updates on other aspects of Pakistan’s vaccination rollout. He said China’s Sinopharm vaccine was also approved by a technical committee; and only the matter of its name for local distribution remained; which would be decided by Tuesday. He added that the Chinese government was itself working directly with Pakistan to facilitate doses of Sinopharm and “they will let us know about the first batch of vaccines by Tuesday.”