The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday simultaneously initiated national immunisation drive against coronavirus across the country with all federating units including that of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

The frontline health workers are the priority and they are being vaccinated first, but first they have to fill a form containing 15 questions.

The NCOC held the inaugural ceremony of national Covid immunization programme with Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar in the chair flanked by National Coordinator NCOC Lieutenant General Hamood Uz Zaman Khan. Commercial Minister Counsellor China Xie Guoxiang was the chief guest where Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Hussain Chaudhary, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan and SAPM on Poverty Alleviation Dr Sania Nishtar were also present on the occasion. 

Speaking on the occasion, Asad Umar lauded the sacrifices and meritorious services of Frontline Healthcare Workers (FLHCWs) for serving the nation during the pandemic. "Frontline Healthcare Workers are our real heroes. No doubt they have put their lives at risk in their fight against Covid-19 and we pay tribute to all of them." 

He also thanked the government of Peoples Republic of China for supporting Pakistan during crisis of the Covid-19.

He also paid tribute to the team NCOC and provincial authorities working in close liaison in fight against Covid-19 at the forum.

Asad Umar said the simultaneous inaugural ceremony was the centre of national effort highlighting the unified collaboration of the provinces and the federal government collectively fighting the contagion.

The vaccine was administered to Rizwana Yasmeen. She is working as charge nurse in Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) isolation unit, she and her team has been working tirelessly in fight against Covid-19 and she is representing all medical and paramedical staff of PIMS who have been involved in managing Covid-19 patients. 

The vaccinated individuals also included Javed Iqbal who is Covid-19 surveillance team member from DHO office Islamabad. He has been working in surveillance activities since first case of Covid-19 was reported in Islamabad. He and his team has been working tirelessly and has diagnosed over 10,000 positive cases in Islamabad by contact tracing and sampling. 

He was representing all Covid-19 surveillance teams who were the backbone of Covid-19 management in Islamabad. 

Fahad Mehmood was also inoculated with vaccine who was working in pathology department of Shifa International Hospital dealing with Covid-19 testing. Shifa International Hospital has been testing a major bulk of Covid-19 samples in Islamabad and has also been managing patients suffering from Covid-19 infection. He was representing all people in Shifa International. 

83,000 doses for Sindh

The Sindh ceremony was taken place at Dow university Ojha vaccination centre where Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was the chief guest. The vaccine is being administered at Ojha Campus.

Addressing the ceremony, Murad Ali Shah thanked China for donating half a million vaccine doses to Pakistan. “Sindh got 83,000 doses. We want to import the vaccine directly from China but there are hindrances from the Centre in the way,” he said added "Vaccination is a serious matter and not a joke."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSdJhGdU-44

The immunisation process was also launched at the vaccination centre set up Khalaqdeena Hall of Karachi’s Services Hospital. About 500 people will be vaccinated here in two shifts every day.

70,000 doses for Punjab

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar inaugurated the vaccination in the province at the Punjab House in Islamabad. They monitored the process as two doctors of Rawalpindi Institute of Urology – Dr Faraz and lady doctor Samaviya Akbar – were vaccinated against the virus, thus launching the immunisation process in Punjab.

Buzdar said 189 centres have been set up in Punjab for the immunisation drive where the data of the health workers being injected with the vaccine will be stored also.

He said 400,000 health workers have got themselves registered for the vaccination. About 600 people in 36 districts of Punjab have so far been imparted training in this regard. Master trainers have been asked to train more people as soon as possible, he added.

Buzdar said 2,500 iceline refrigerators were also arranged in 36 districts to preserve the vaccine.

16,000 doses for KP

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan was the chief guest of inoculation ceremony. The province has so far received 16,000 vaccine doses.

5,000 doses for Balochistan

The vaccination ceremony in Balochistan was held at Chief Minister Secretariat. 

https://www.facebook.com/1545150422365407/videos/204321698091589/?__so__=channel_tab&__rv__=all_videos_card

The province has received 5,000 doses of the vaccine. 

In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), the vaccination was held at the PM Secretariat whereas in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) inoculation was held at CS Secretariat with Chief Minister GB as chief guest.