US to ship another 9.6 million doses of donated Pfizer vaccines to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The US is shipping an additional 9.6 million doses of Pfizer vaccines through the COVAX facility to Pakistan, the US embassy in Islamabad said on Friday.

The donation brings the total number of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the US government to Pakistan to more than 25 million. The latest batch of Pfizer vaccines are part of the 500 million Pfizer doses the United States purchased this summer to deliver to 92 countries worldwide, including Pakistan, to fulfill President Biden’s commitment to provide safe and effective vaccines around the world and supercharge the global fight against the pandemic. 

At the virtual Global COVID-19 Summit held on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September, Biden announced the United States would provide an additional 500 million Pfizer vaccines to low and lower-middle income countries around the globe, with shipments starting in January 2022.

“The United States is proud to partner with Pakistan to get effective, life-saving Pfizer vaccinations into the arms of Pakistanis, and Pakistan has done a great job of distributing our donated vaccines,” US Embassy Chargé d’affaires Angela P. Aggeler said. 

“This donation comes just in time for young Pakistanis over age 12 to get their first jabs. Please get vaccinated and take a selfie using one of our “I Got Vaccinated” photo booth frames. You can find them at the Mass Vaccination Clinic in F-9 and at several of our Lincoln Corners. And be sure to tag @usembislamabad when you take your selfie!”

The US has also delivered $63 million in COVID-19 assistance through its partnership with the government of Pakistan. Since the start of the pandemic, the US has worked together with Pakistan to improve infection prevention and control, enhance patient care, expand laboratory testing, and support frontline health care workers.

The United States is the single largest contributor supporting COVAX efforts toward global COVID-19 vaccines access.