KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Thousands of Pakistanis rushed to be vaccinated in the first round of commercial sales of COVID-19 vaccines that began over the weekend. Vaccination sites in the southern city of Karachi said on Sunday they had already been sold out.
Pakistan currently offers free vaccinations to frontline health workers and people over the age of 50, but the process has been slow so far, and last month the country allowed commercial imports through the private sector to the general public.
The first round was the commercial sale of the Russian Sputnik V with two shots to the general public for about 12,000 Pakistani rupees ($ 80) for a pack of two doses.
Despite the cost, a number of centers that hosted the survey reported long queues, while some in Karachi waited nearly three hours in line. Most in line was that young Pakistanis are still not eligible for the free vaccination of the government.
“I am very happy to get it because it is now necessary to travel,” Saad Ahmed, 34, told Reuters on Sunday after being shot in a luxury private-sector hospital in Karachi.
While the private sale of vaccines began, the government and importers were still caught up in a price dispute.
Pakistan initially agreed to exempt imported vaccines from price restrictions, but later revoked the exemption, saying it would set maximum prices.
One pharmaceutical company, which has already imported 50,000 doses of Sputnik V, has taken the government to court, where it has received an interim order to sell it until the price is determined.
Once vaccinated for boarding clients, there were long queues of people, Dr Nashwa Ahmed, who carries out vaccinations at Karachi’s South City Hospital, told Reuters.
Photos of queues outside the hospital until late at night were shared on social media.
The hospital received 5,000 doses of Sputnik V and within just over two days, all of its stock was administered or pre-booked, said a hospital official who asked not to be identified.
Companies, including one of Pakistan’s largest banks, also bought large quantities to get staff vaccinated, the official said.
Private sales begin as the country tackles a new wave of COVID-19 infections, and healthcare facilities fill up rapidly.
The number of patients now in critical care has reached 3,568, the highest since the pandemic began, a cabinet minister, Asad Umar, said on Twitter. Pakistan has so far reported 687,908 infections and 14,778 deaths.
($ 1 = 152,9400 Pakistani Rupees)
Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Edited by Peter Graff