Day: February 26, 2021

NEW YORK: UNICEF and AstraZeneca this week signed a long-term agreement for the supply of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca on behalf of the COVAX Facility, according to a report issued by UN Information Centre Islamabad on Friday.

Through the supply agreement, UNICEF, along with procurement partners including the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), will have access to up to 170 million doses of vaccines for around 85 countries. This is the third such agreement for COVID-19 vaccines, following previously announced agreements with Pfizer and the Serum Institute of India.

The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine received WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on 15 February. Deliveries of the vaccine are planned to begin in the first quarter of 2021, in line with the COVAX Allocation Framework that take into consideration several factors including country readiness, national regulatory authorizations and completed contractual provisions, as well as operating and supply considerations.

The goal of the COVAX Facility is to ensure that safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines are rapidly available and affordable to all countries around the world, regardless of income level.

The supply agreement will enable access to 170 million doses secured under the COVAX Facility’s Advance Purchase Agreement (APA) with AstraZeneca, which will be available throughout 2021.

On 11 February, UNICEF announced the signing of an agreement with Pfizer for the supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine through 2021, following on from an agreement with the Serum Institute of India to access two vaccines through technology transfer from AstraZeneca which has been granted WHO EUL and Novavax, which is subject to the approval of the vaccine by WHO.

The COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO, together with UNICEF, aims to provide at least 2 billion doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021, enabling the protection of frontline health care and social workers, as well as other high-risk and vulnerable groups.

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has lauded the role of the leading charities and corporate sector in Pakistan in lessening the miseries of the deprived people during the anti-coronavirus lockdown imposed last year.

Punjab Governor stated this as he along with Azad Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan conferred 13th CSR Awards on 75 different companies and organizations for showing excellence in the field of corporate social responsibility during last one year.

The Punjab Governor on behalf of the present government assured fullest support to the corporate entities doing philanthropic work. He said the corporate organizations through their CSR initiatives had been helping out the government in its drive to uplift the socio-economic status of the underprivileged segments of society.

He said the government always required assistance from bona fide charities and corporate sector to manage disastrous situations like the coronavirus pandemic. The governor mentioned that he personally had led the initiatives with the help of the welfare organizations to assist the poor people during the lockdown imposed last year against the spread of coronavirus.

He mentioned that the quality of work undertaken by the charities to do welfare projects in the country had been far better than that of the development projects completed by the government. He mentioned that his own charity had installed water projects to benefit two million people with 10 times less cost than similar water supply schemes of the government.

Speaking on the occasion, AJK President lauded services of National Command and Operation Centre owing to which coronavirus-related sufferings remained much less in Azad Kashmir area. He mentioned that Azad Kashmir had so far witnessed just 296 deaths due to Covid-19 out of around 10,000 cases of coronavirus.

He appreciated the role of CSR works in alleviating the miseries of the needy people. He said the CSR projects played an important role in providing health, education, and livelihood services to the deprived people in the country.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Shibli Faraz has said opposition’s appreciation for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) exposes its political hypocrisy as it has been protesting against the ECP in past.

In a tweet, he said changing stance and negating its own narrative has become hallmark of the opposition. He said opposition only accepts those decisions, which come in its favor. He said opposition only considers those elections as transparent in which it wins; otherwise it makes hue and cry in the name of rigging.

Syed Shibli Faraz said opposition’s adulation for ECP shows that the commission is independent, free, and sovereign in discharging its responsibilities in the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has emphasized the need for promoting economic cooperation between Pakistan and Malaysia.

He was talking to Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Malaysia Amna Baloch, who called on him here on Friday. Shah Mahmood Qureshi noted that Pakistan and Malaysia enjoy historic fraternal ties deep rooted in common faith and culture. He directed the envoy to take special care of the welfare of Pakistani workers in Malaysia.

ISLAMABAD: Newly elected Member of National Assembly (MNA) Peer Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani took oath of office on Friday.

The Speaker administered the oath to him. Responding to the points of various members in the National Assembly on Friday regarding the recent killing of four women in North Waziristan, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the entire country is the united in the war against terrorism.

He said the security forces and the people of the country have given immense sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. He said the government has taken notice of the killing of four women in North Waziristan and the report of the Interior Ministry on this incident will be shared with the House.

Earlier, the members strongly condemned the Waziristan incident, saying they stand by the tribal people. They demanded that Shuhada package should be announced for the bereaved families. The House will now meet on Monday at 4:00 pm.

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has felicitated PTI’s Senate candidates from Punjab, who have got elected unopposed.

In a statement, he said that election of candidates of all parties from Punjab as unopposed is the victory of democracy. He said transparency in Senate elections will further strengthen parliament and democracy.