First Covid vaccine in Pakistan to Dr Tanveer Ahmed

First Covid vaccine in Sindh administered to Dr Tanveer Ahmed at Dow University Hospital Ojha Campus a little while ago. Pakistan’s first Covid vaccine recipient. But no story in media about who he is other than a doctor. At the very least the media should have mentioned his name. The Govt of Pakistan should itself have identified him by name as in universal practice. Laziness all around.

Variants of the virus have stirred concern that they might weaken effects of vaccines and treatments developed prior to their emergence. I am not sure if Pakistani vaccine can fight the variants. Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine remains active against South Africa variant and its effects reduced according to a recent study but the net results are yet to be seen in the third world countries like Pakistan. Corona vaccine was introduced to health workers at the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) in Islamabad, where the four Chief Ministers, the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan also attended the main event via video link. Nurse Rizwana Yasmeen in-charge of PIMS Hospital, Javed Iqbal of DHO Office Islamabad and Fahad Mahmood of private hospital were vaccinated in NCOC.

Besides, in Karachi, the Sindh Chief Minister inaugurated the vaccination at Ojha Hospital where while talking at the function, the provincial health minister said that vaccination is a national duty but masks must be used even after vaccination. In KP, Mahmood Khan inaugurated the vaccination process and distributed shields to medical staff. The anti-corona vaccination program in Quetta was held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat where Jam Kamal inaugurated the vaccination.

In Balochistan, the first vaccine against corona was given to PMA President Dr Aftab and the second to Dr Noorullah Musa Khel. It may be recalled that on Tuesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had launched the Corona Vaccination Campaign. Imran Khan said that China has provided 500,000 vaccines and the vaccines are being distributed in all provinces in a transparent manner. According to the Prime Minister, first frontline workers are being vaccinated.