Expats stage protest again; demand health authorities to administer Pfizer, AstraZeneca vaccines

ISLAMABAD – Dozens of expats on Thursday again staged a protest outside the mass vaccination centre demanding from the health authorities to administer Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines.

This was the second protest in the week. However, this time dozens of expats expanded their protest in the afternoon and blocked main avenue in front of the centre causing trouble for the citizens. The law enforcement departments reached the location to maintain the law while the traffic had to be put on diversion due to blockade of road. Where a huge influx of expats criticized health authorities for delay in administration of the vaccine, the health authorities said that the centre has become overburdened due to the large number of people visiting to get the vaccine to go outside.

Meanwhile, local residents of the city complained that they have almost lost the opportunity of getting vaccinated from the mass vaccination centre.

A senior official at the mass vaccination centre informed The Nation that protestors are all expats and they are only being vaccinated with Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine. He said that all of them are visiting here for these two vaccines and health authorities accommodated them with the available stock.

“But entire Pakistan cannot be catered from one mass vaccination centre,” he said. Officials said that the government has to activate rest of the vaccination centres in provinces to provide Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines at their home stations. Officials said, “It does not matter how many vaccines you can bring, you cannot vaccinate the entire country from a single vaccination centre.” He said there is no shortage of the vaccine but we are getting only the federal capital quota which is sufficient for the local population.

“We cannot call it a shortage but we are over-burdened with the expats visiting,” the official said. Officials said that authorities in the field have administered around 35000 doses of the vaccine in the last week to the people other than the local residents of the city. 

A local resident Ahmad Abbas talking to The Nation said that every time he plans to get vaccinated at the mass vaccination centre, he has to drop it because of the huge influx of people there.

He added that the facility was inaugurated for the residents of Islamabad, however, they are unable to get vaccines from there.

“Either more vaccination centres should be opened or expats should be accommodated in their own cities,” he said. Spokesperson Ministry of National Health Services Sajid Shah said that the government is aware of the miseries of the people who are providing uninterrupted supplies at vaccination centres. He said that the demand for only two vaccines for expats has increased the rush on vaccination centres, however, the matter will be resolved.

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/01-Jul-2021/expats-stage-protest-again-demand-health-authorities-to-administer-pfizer-astrazeneca-vaccines