Sindh Govt’s Illegal Procurement of Vaccines Contra DRAP Policy: TI
The provincial government has placed an order of 10 million doses of the CanSino covid-19 vaccine with AJM Pharma (Pvt.) Ltd
Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has written a letter to National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) that ‘illegal procurement’ of Chinese CanSino vaccine by Sindh government, which is against the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) pricing policy, is going to cause a loss of Rs 30 billion.
The provincial government has placed an order of some 10 million doses of the CanSino covid-19 vaccine with AJM Pharma (Pvt.) Ltd.
The letter has been written to the head of NCOC’s head Asad Omar in which transparency international has expressed concerns over coronavirus vaccine sales. The letter said the procurement of the Chinese vaccine by the Sindh government from AJM Pharma is against the DRAP and this could cost up to Rs 30 billion.
Moreover, the letter emphasized that according to the DRAP pricing policy 2018, the cost of the CanSino vaccine in Pakistan was calculated at Rs 1000, whereas they agreed at Rs. 4,225, which 323% higher than the approved ones.
However, the cost of two doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine in Pakistan was fixed at Rs. 8,449, which is 119 times higher than the previous price set at Rs. 3,850.
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Transparency International has filed that MRP for CanSino vaccine approved by DRAP is a case of over-invoicing, where the doses are procured on more than double the original price calculated.
In addition to it, transparency international reminded the authorities that these privately purchased vaccines cannot be placed/administered by public hospitals.
NCOC chief has been requested for direct procurement of covid-19 vaccines from approved manufacturers.
