Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan has reversed a decision that had allowed uncapped prices for COVID-19 vaccines imported by private firms.
“Now, however, there is a formula, already in vogue, to determine maximum price,” said Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Sultan. “So yes, there is a price cap that DRAP (Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan) will recommend and get approval for,” he added.
In view of the situation, the cabinet considered that fixing maximum retail price of vaccines under paragraph 4 of Drug Pricing Policy-2018 was not possible, it allowed exemption from Section 12 of the Drugs Act, 1976 for a period of 6 months or until the market prices of vaccines became available.
The first consignment of the privately-imported Russian vaccine reached Karachi on Wednesday.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Pakistan rose to 615,810 on Thursday after 3,495 new coronavirus cases surfaced in the country during the last 24 hours.
Overall 262,207 cases were confirmed in Sindh, 191,186 in Punjab, 77,443 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19,269 in Balochistan, 49,476 in Islamabad 4,965 in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and 11,264 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the government's COVID-19 portal, the death toll related to coronavirus has reached to 13,717 with 61 fatalities reported during the last 24 hours.
Over the last twenty four hours, total number of recovered COVID-19 patients across the country reached 577,501 after another 1,634 virus recoveries were reported.
