"We are told the first shipment is expected within the next week," Chughtai Lab director Omar Chughtai told Reuters, adding it would be receiving several thousand doses. Pakistan's decision to allow private sales of vaccine without a price cap in a lower-income country of 220 million people has faced criticism. The government launched a vaccination drive this month with 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine donated by longtime ally China. Chughtai Lab aims to import the others as well, but Sputnik V was the first to become available, Chughtai said. The lab is importing Sputnik V through Pakistani firm Ali Gohar Pharmaceuticals Pvt and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which is responsible for marketing the vaccine abroad.

Source: bd News24 February 15, 2021 06:11 UTC