Karachi: The Sindh government has demanded that the age restriction for COVID-19 vaccination should be immediately lifted in Pakistan so that maximum number of people can be protected.
The demand to this effect was made by Sindh Law and Environment Adviser, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, while speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday. Wahab is also the spokesman for the Sindh government.
“I would now request the federal government that the age restriction should be withdrawn as every Pakistani more than 18 years should be permitted to get the vaccine,” said Wahab.
He said the number of daily vaccinations in Pakistan could be increased to 250,000 if all eligible Pakistanis were granted permission to get the jab. “If people in a senior age bracket are not willing to get vaccinated then at the same time another group of willing and eligible Pakistanis should not be deprived of the opportunity to get the vaccination merely on the basis of age criterion.”
Wahab also urged the federal government to ensure availability of vaccine in sufficient numbers in the country. “The PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) has recently done a great national service by operating a special flight to get vaccines from China as there is a need to ramp up such a national service,” he said.
He also requested the federal government to facilitate and enable the private health sector in the country to vaccinate people who had the financial ability to privately purchase the vaccine.
“The fight against coronavirus could not be waged alone by a government, any one hospital, or by an institution as a collective struggle is required in this regard,” he said.
