The Pakistan government has allocated $1 billion for vaccine procurement after the National Economic Council of the cabinet recommended allotting the fund for it, reported Dawn.

The country was initially dependent on the COVAX facility of the WHO whose delivery got delayed as India restricted the export of vaccines. Currently, Pakistan is using mainly Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm and Sinovac, for the national vaccination drive.

The country drug regulator had allowed the usage of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine. Private hospitals were given permission to import Sputnik-V on their own. 

Earlier, the country had also received Astra-Zeneca through COVAX. Recently, the WHO has provided Pfizer to Pakistan though authorities have restricted its use to a selected segment of people. 

(SAM)