Advises health ministry to get $393m loan for coronavirus vaccines
A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a Vaccine COVID-19 sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken April 10, 2020. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The Ministry of Finance has declined to provide $393 million to the health ministry from the budget to procure Covid-19 vaccines, advising it to arrange foreign loans in order to avoid pressure on exchange rate and also ensure transparency in deals.
The finance ministry’s refusal came 10 days before the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is set to approve a $500 million loan for procurement of Covid-19 vaccines. The ADB board is going to approve a $500 million loan for procurement of vaccines on August 6 under APVAX facility.
In this file photo, people gather to get their Covid-19 vaccine doses at a vaccination center in Karachi. Reuters/File
ISLAMABAD: The outcome of unnoticed violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during Eidul Azha finally starts appearing as the national positivity ratio has swelled to 11.88 per cent, with the highest number of Covid-19 cases reported in a day since May 21.
The number of daily cases, which stood at 2,500 before Eidul Azha, reached 3,752, taking the number of active cases to 57,799. Karachi reported the highest positivity ratio of 24.82pc, followed by 19.76pc in Muzaffarabad and 18.59pc in Rawalpindi.
Besides, Pakistan received three million doses of American vaccine Moderna through Covax facility which has pledged to provide free vaccine to the country’s 20pc population.
July 27, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee was surprised on putting every expenditure made by the federal ministries in the name of Corona Relief Package as it was found that subsidies on Utility Stores and even the funding for the Panaghas were made from the Corona relief package of over Rs1,240 billion.
The Public Accounts Committee also asked to submit the details of international aid received for Covid-19 from the Economic Affairs Division and also sought in-camera briefing on the purchase of corona vaccine from the Ministry of National Health Services and National Disaster Management Authority.
The meeting of the PAC was held under Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain in which a briefing was given on Covid-19 expenditures. The PAC also sought detailed reports of audit objections on the corona funding, which were sought by the PAC and its sub-committees.
July 27, 2021
ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee was surprised on putting every expenditure made by the federal ministries in the name of Corona Relief Package as it was found that subsidies on Utility Stores and even the funding for the Panaghas were made from the Corona relief package of over Rs1,240 billion.
The Public Accounts Committee also asked to submit the details of international aid received for Covid-19 from the Economic Affairs Division and also sought in-camera briefing on the purchase of corona vaccine from the Ministry of National Health Services and National Disaster Management Authority.
The meeting of the PAC was held under Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain in which a briefing was given on Covid-19 expenditures. The PAC also sought detailed reports of audit objections on the corona funding, which were sought by the PAC and its sub-committees.
Covid kills 19 more, infects another 2,343 in Sindh
July 26, 2021
Nineteen more people have died due to Covid-19 and 2,343 others have tested positive for the disease during the past 24 hours in Sindh, with the death toll due to the viral coronavirus infection reaching 5,833 in the province.
The daily situation report on the health emergency released by the Sindh government on Sunday said that 18,122 samples were tested in the past 24 hours, resulting in 2,343 people, or 13 per cent of those who were screened, being diagnosed with Covid-19.
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that Karachiâs positivity jumped to 24.82 per cent when 1,932 people were diagnosed with Covid-19 after 7,783 samples were tested. Moreover, 1,144 patients of the viral disease are admitted in hospitals, while 1,024 of the patients are in critical condition, of whom 77 are on life support.