$150 million budget for coronavirus vaccines can be increased: Asad Umar

• Asad Umar dispels notion Pakistan will not purchase coronavirus vaccine.
• Says "procurement of vaccines will not be stopped due to monetary considerations".
• Says Pakistan has vaccines but people unwilling to get the jab; only 10% people 60 and above have registered so far to get vaccinated.

The chief of the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) Asad Umar on Sunday said that the $150 million budget set aside for the purchase of coronavirus vaccines that had been approved by the cabinet can be increased.

Speaking to Geo News on programme "Naya Pakistan", the Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives dispelled the notion that Pakistan does not plan on purchasing vaccines.

He responded in detail to a question by the show host regarding National Health Service (NHS) Secretary Amir Ashraf Khawaja reporting to the Public Accounts Committee that the government aims to combat coronavirus through herd immunity and donated vaccines and has no plan to purchase doses at least this year.

Umar said while Pakistan, in line with other countries, does not plan to vaccinate youngsters aged 18 years or younger, around 110 million people are those who must be vaccinated. "We had aggressively planned on vaccinating at least 60-70% of this number."

The GAVI doses that will arrive are for 45 million people which means 30 million will be left over for whom we will purchase vaccines, he said.

"Purchase deals are being made with two companies. We have closed the deal with one and in two to three days will be sealing it with the other.

"From end of March to the end of April we will have several hundred thousand of these purchased vaccines as well," the minister said.

The cabinet approval for use of $150 million for purchase of vaccines can be increased if required, he added.

"Procurement of vaccines will not be stopped due to monetary considerations," Umar asserted.

'I appeal to people to get vaccinated'

Speaking of a slow rate of vaccinations and the strategy being employed for Pakistan, Umar said people are not registering as much as they should be.

He said less than 10% of those who are 60 or above have registered so far to get vaccinated.

Read more: 2,664 test positive in single day, positivity rate climbs to 6.6%

"There is a great need for people to get registered and come get vaccinated. I appeal to people — at least those who are above 60 — to immediately get registered so we can be done vaccinating the high-risk group," the minister said.

Pakistan vs the world

Responding to data from Worldometer that shows Pakistan lags far behind in vaccinations, he said that there are vaccines available in Pakistan, but a lack of willingness among people to step up and get the jab.

Umar said India has the greatest vaccine manufacturing capacity after which China has the most in the region. He said India, owing to its availability and because it was able to start early, got ahead.

He said in Pakistan, around 350,000 doses have so far been utilised.

Why are Pakistanis so reluctant?

When asked what the reason could be for not getting registered, he said Pakistanis have a lackadaisical attitude about coronavirus itself.

"When there is no fear of the virus, why will anyone bother?"

Also read: Pakistan among leading nations resisting coronavirus vaccination

He said another reason could also be because it is a new thing and the fear will reduce with time. He added that no serious side effects have so far been witnessed to the vaccine.

Availability for other groups

To this, he said: "We have seen that if a 60-year-old contracts coronavirus it has a greater toll on that person versus a young 20-year old."

"We will see for a week or 10 days more. If we see people are not coming in, we will move to the 50 and above age group."

COVAX supply

Speaking of the COVAX doses that were to begin arriving in March, he said the initiative had promised 17 million doses by June and that the supply will begin in March. "The number has now been revised to 16 million and they are still saying that supply will begin before end of March," Umar said.

He said that there is a two week delay because the export licence from India for all the countries designated to receive supply from the country had not been obtained. Approval had been given for African countries only and not Asian countries.

Related: Supply of 2.5m doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through COVAX delayed

'Health a devolved matter'

Speaking of Murtaza Wahab's tweet, he said that health is a devolved subject and the provinces are free to procure vaccines on their own. He regretted that "since coronavirus began there has been nothing but a politicisation of the issue".

"The federation is going above and beyond and providing vaccines. Otherwise, it is the province's responsibility. They must procure them."

Wahab had urged the NCOC to "expedite the vaccination process and also import adequate number of vaccine doses".

He criticised how people "continue to be exposed with everything open in the country on the orders of NCOC".

Opposition urged to 'not endanger people's lives, find some other way'

Speaking of the opposition's long march on March 26, he said they "only have political considerations in mind".

He said when the government had lifted lockdowns it was called a killer of innocent people and now when it is convenient they want to ignore SOPs. "Their statements and their actions are all political."

He said the prime minister has already made it clear that opposition is free to exercise their constitutional right to a peaceful march.

"Instead of taking to the streets and endangering people's lives, take out some other political way. You can criticise PTI to your heart's content," he said.