Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar Thursday inaugurated the COVID-19 vaccination centre at Centaurus Shopping Mall to vaccinate maximum number of citizens in the federal capital.

Talking to the media persons, he said that with the start of vaccination centres in different public places the burden on hospitals would be shared and more people would be able to get coronavirus vaccine.

He said that on request of the government to come forward in this cause, the chamber of commerce and traders of federal capital have extended their full support to the government in its ongoing vaccination process as trader community also affected badly from the virus.

He said that so far federal capital was leading with regard to vaccination against the COVID-19. He expressed the hope that there would be motivational trend in all cities to take lead for having highest number of vaccinations.

He said that due to limited quantity, the Pfizer vaccine would be available only for intending Hajj pilgrims, Pakistani students studying abroad or overseas Pakistanis having work visas. Asad Umar said that the government has already established mass vaccination centre at F-9 Park to vaccinate 7,000 citizens against COVID-19 daily from 75 counters.

He said that 100 trained vaccinators would remain on duties and standard services would be provided to the citizens in this centre. He asked the people to come to all vaccination centres for vaccination against COVID-19.

He said it was the responsibility of every eligible citizen to visit the vaccination centre and protect them against coronavirus. “We want to end all restrictions as early as possible including the opening of educational institutions and markets, but it depends on meeting the target of the maximum number of vaccination in the country.”

He said that despite several cases still Pakistan was in better condition in the region and thanked the district administrations, National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) team, and the police for playing an effective role in controlling the virus.

He said that they still need to continue all such measures as still many patients were on oxygen across the country.

He said that a massive awareness drive has been started with the support of traders’ organizations, markets organizations, and ulema. He added youth of Islamabad have also been engaged in this campaign to educate citizens about the importance of vaccination.

He said that in order to make federal capital free from coronavirus, MNAs of federal capital were personally taking part in this massive drive and appealed to the other political leaders to ask their MNAs and MPAs to lead such drives in their respective areas.

He assured that the provision of vaccines to every city of the country was the responsibility of the federal government and added that there was no shortage of vaccines. He said that so far good results have been achieved from the vaccination.