KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Thousands of Pakistanis rushed to get vaccinated in the first round of commercial sales of COVID-19 vaccines that began this weekend, with vaccination sites in the southern city of Karachi saying on Sunday that they were already sold out.
Pakistan is currently offering free vaccines to primary care health workers and people over 50, but so far the journey has been slow and last month the country allowed commercial imports by the private sector to the general public.
The first round saw the commercial sale of the two-shot Russian Sputnik V to the general public for approximately 12,000 Pakistani rupees ($ 80) for a two-dose package.
Despite the cost, a number of centers reported that the recording offered long queues, with some in Karachi waiting in line for nearly three hours. Most in the queue were young Pakistanis who still did not qualify for free vaccination from the government.
“I am very happy to get it as it is now necessary to travel,” Saad Ahmed, 34, told Reuters on Sunday after getting his chance at a luxury private hospital in Karachi.
While private sales of vaccines have begun, the government and importers are still involved in a price dispute.
Pakistan initially agreed to exempt imported vaccines from price caps, but later withdrew the exemption, saying it would set maximum prices.
A pharmaceutical company, which had already imported 50,000 doses of Sputnik V, took the government to court, where it won an interim injunction allowing it to sell it until the price is determined.
Once the vaccination was opened to customers walking in, there were long lines of people, Dr. Nashwa Ahmed, who leads the vaccination at Karachi’s South City Hospital, told Reuters.
Photos of queues outside the hospital were shared late into the night on social media.
The hospital did away with 5,000 doses of Sputnik V, and in just over two days, all of its supplies had been administered or pre-reserved, a hospital official who asked not to be identified.
Businesses, including one of Pakistan’s largest banks, have also purchased large quantities to have staff vaccinated, the official said.
Private sales are starting as the country faces a new wave of COVID-19 infections and healthcare facilities are quickly filling up.
The number of patients now in critical care has reached 3,568, the highest since the start of the pandemic, a cabinet minister, Asad Umar, said on Twitter. Pakistan has so far reported 687,908 infections and 14,778 deaths.
($ 1 = 152.9400 Pakistani Rupees)
Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Peter Graff