Karachi: The first shipment of Sputnik V (Russian: Спутник V, literally Traveler V) Covid-19 vaccine, which is received by an independent pharmaceutical manufacturing company AGP at Jinnah International Airport Karachi on Wednesday. The vaccines will be available for commercial sale for those who can afford to pay.
Russian coronavirus vaccine suitable for administration to the people who are in their 60s, said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan.
Sputnik V
According to the officials, doses around 50,000 of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine have arrived in Karachi.
For now Sputnik V vaccine would be provided to the government hospitals and institutions only, an official of AGP said.
As stated by the officials of the private firm, currently we have imported 50,000 doses of vaccine, which can vaccinate about 250000 adults; approximately 150000 doses of vaccine are likely to arrive by the end of this week.
The officials of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) strictly forbade the private firms to sell vaccine to the hospitals or institutions till government fix its price.
According to the official of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), previously it was allowed by government to import and sell the vaccine the price of their own choice, but recently the federal government has decided to fix price by the concerning departments of the government. Further, officials added the pricing board of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) will fix the price, and then it will be sent to cabinet for approval. After that the vaccine can be selling by the private sector.