Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar once again advised people to follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) for saving themselves from Coronavirus (Covid-19) which is currently spreading fast in the country.

He was addressing the prize distribution ceremony organized by the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) to recognize the services of all workers who actively participated in the coronavirus vaccination campaign on Monday.

The federal minister said the people who were not vaccinated so far must do it as soon as possible. He said the persons who were fully vaccinated six months ago and are over 30 years of age, should go for a booster dose.

The minister lauded the efforts of all ground workers, vaccination teams, NCOC, health workers and federal as well as provincial agencies for coordinated efforts that helped to make the campaign successful.

He said that the campaign against coronavirus would be remembered because the whole nation made collective efforts to stop its spread.

The prize distribution ceremony was organized at NCOC Head Office, chaired by Chairman NCOC Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, National Coordinator Maj General Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and attended by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan.

The shields and appreciation letters were given to those districts and provinces that achieved the target of vaccinating more than 60 per cent of the population and to those three remote districts that achieved maximum vaccination targets despite limited resources and difficult terrain.

The representatives of the districts include Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Chief Executive Officers, District Health Officers, District Vaccination Focal Persons and Data Entry Operators.

Earlier, during the ceremony, it was briefed that 48 % of the eligible population stands fully vaccinated. Till 31 December 2021, the vaccination of 71.5 million individuals has been completed. Only in December 2021, the vaccination of around 21.5 million people has been ensured and the credit goes to the provinces.

The district teams which received appreciation certificates and shields include Jhelum, Mianwali, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Attock,  Bhakkar, Sargodha, Lodhran, Karachi South and East, Chitral Lower and Upper, Mastung, Chaman, Lasbela, Harnai, Awaran, Surab, Naseerabad, Hunza, Ghizer, Mirpur, Tharparkar, Orakzai and Neelam.

The top three districts who achieved the target of vaccinating maximum population include Kalat (87%), Karachi South (82%), Islamabad (77%), while the three districts of the remote area who achieved vaccination targets despite difficult terrain and limited resources include Orakzai (54%), Neelam (56%) and Tharparkar (51%).