Fed cabinet approves prices of two Covid vaccines imported by private sector

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved a summary regarding prices of COVID-19 vaccines- Chinese and Russian doses- to be imported by the private sector after a recommendation from the health ministry following approval from the DRAP, ARY NEWS reported.

The health ministry has suggested a proposal allowing the private sector to import the COVID-19 vaccine.

The health ministry recommended the price of two anti-COVID jabs of the Russian vaccine be set at Rs 8,449. The packet containing four doses of Sputnik-V is set at Rs 16,560 while 10 and 20 doses would be available at Rs40,555 and Rs 81,110 respectively after approval from the federal cabinet.

On the other hand, the single-shot COVID vaccine from China- Convidencia- would cost Rs4,225.

Two Pharmaceutical companies are importing vaccines from abroad with one hailing from Karachi importing the Russian vaccine while the Chinese vaccine would be imported by a multi-national pharma company.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has determined how much Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine imported by the private sector is to cost in the country.

Sources with knowledge of the matter told ARY News on Sunday that the drug regulator’s processing board in a meeting held on March 19 recommended fixing the price of two doses of the Russian vaccine between Rs8,200 and Rs9,000.

A Karachi-based pharmaceutical company received the first consignment of Russian made Sputnik-V vaccine earlier this week. An official of the private firm said that the price of the vaccine will be fixed by the government soon.

The Covid-19 vaccines would remain stored at the cold storage till approval of the price by the government. The registration process of the company’s corona vaccination centres has also been underway, Dr. Umar Chughtai said.

The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had granted approval to Russian vaccine for Covid-19, for emergency use in February.

Sputnik V is one of four vaccines approved for emergency use in Pakistan, in addition to those by China’s Sinopharm and CanSinoBio, and the AstraZeneca-Oxford University shot.