KARACHI: A total of 27,842 healthcare providers have been vaccinated against Covid-19 across the province since Feb 3, when the drive was launched, according to sources in the health department.

The vaccination drive is continuing at 12 centres set up for the purpose.

According to the department, the total strength of healthcare personnel in the province is 175,000 out of whom the department has identified 54,000 as “the frontline force”.

“We are achieving our [daily] target. Those engaged in coronavirus-related duties are getting the shots on a priority basis but the department is vaccinating other healthcare personnel as well,” said a health department spokesman, Atif Vighio.

He said the provincial government was expecting another 25,000-dose consignment of the Covid-19 vaccine from the federal department in the coming days.

Asked about the vaccination of private healthcare personnel, he said the department was vaccinating both, private and public sector personnel, though it had provided 11,900 vaccine doses to two private hospitals on their request.

No side effect reported so far since launch of the drive on Feb 3

“The Liaquat National Hospital and the Aga Khan University Hospital are vaccinating their staff with the doses provided by the department.

“The drive is continuing successfully with the staff’s cooperation and no serious side effects have so far been reported from anywhere.”

Thirty-two per cent of the total 85,000 frontline healthcare personnel in the province has been vaccinated so far.

According to health department’s data, 5,076 healthcare personnel were vaccinated at the Maternal Child Health Centre, Shaheed Benazirabad, followed by Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, (3,738), Sindh Govt Hospital, Korangi No. 5 (2,351), Thaddo Nalo Hospital, Malir (2,049), Dow University Hospital-Ojha campus (2,635), Aga Khan University Hospital (1,277), Sindh Govt Qatar Hospital, Orangi (2,823), Sindh Govt Hospital Liaquatabad (1,354), Sindh Govt Hospital New Karachi (808), Sindh Govt Children Hospital, North Nazimabad (811), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (1,694) and Khaliqdina Hall, Saddar (3,226).

It may be recalled that the federal government had handed over 84,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine — part of the half a million doses gifted by the Chinese government to Pakistan — to Sindh government. Each individual will receive two vaccine doses with a gap of 21 days.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021