Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) is allegedly being used by a lobby to fail COVID-19 vaccine facility of the private sectors, sources said on Friday.
According to sources, a lobby is purportedly making all out efforts to fail the COVID-19 vaccine facility of the private sector with the help of DRAP. They said that this lobby is leaving no stone unturned to fail the private sector in the name of verification of cold chain monitoring and storage conditions of this biological product. They said the lobby is trying to fail the sale of a peculiar vaccine by the private sectors. The teams of officers of the DRAP are allegedly used to fail the vaccine facility of the private sector in the name of verification of cold chain monitoring and storage conditions of GAM-COVID-VAC supplied by M/S AGP Pakistan, said sources.
“Although DRAP through a letter dated 07th April, 2021had halted the administration of the biological products from the vaccination centers of the private sector till the verification of cold chain maintenance, however, DRAP, on the very next day (8th April), allowed resuming the administration of said biological products,” said the sources.
DRAP letter dated 07th April, 2021 available with NewsLite.com.pk has revealed that teams of officers of the DRAP had inspected vaccination centers of the private sectors in federal capital on 06-04-2021 for verification of cold chain monitoring and storage conditions of biological product. And, these DRAP teams had stopped the administration of the biological products from the vaccination centers of some private sectors situated at the federal capital. Similarly, DRAP, in another letter dated 08th April, 2021, had allowed the private sectors to resume administration of vaccine from their vaccination centers and advised to make necessary arrangements like installation of alarm systems and training of employees for handling of temperature sensitive products.
Sources in health sector informed that DRAP has allegedly been used to fail the sale of Russian vaccine from the private sectors.
It is worth mentioning that both letters were issued with the approval of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DRAP wherein the private sectors were directed to take necessary measures to ensure documentation of storage conditions in accordance with the conditions of Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) letter vide No. 1-5/2021-AD (BD) (M-302) dated 12-03-2021.
