Pakistan’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout is hardly at par with regional countries’ vaccination programmes that have been ramped up, both in terms of procurement and administration of doses. There are now other concerns with how the vaccination drive is progressing, particularly with regards to how there is ample room for corruption and profiteering. This was highlighted in a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan by Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) Chairperson retired Justice Nasira Iqbal, in which she drew attention to how Pakistan is one of the first few countries in the world to allow the private sector to import the vaccine. Elsewhere in the world the inoculation effort against the coronavirus is being led by the government, free of cost for citizens. Although federal and provincial governments in Pakistan are vaccinating older sections of the population for free, the existence of private markets creates an opportunity for those free shots to be sold for profit, shots that are meant for higher risk individuals rather than those willing to pay to jump the queue. Another alarming development that has only recently come to light is that of pricing. The Russian Sputnik-V vaccine for example will cost Rs 8449 for two doses and China’s Conividecia at Rs 422 per injection. Both vaccines are being imported by private pharmaceutical companies and there has reportedly been quite a tussle between them and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) over how much the former can sell them for. It seems the DRAP has left a lot on the table during negotiations considering how the global price set for a single dose of Sputnik-V is $10, making the complete vaccination as very affordable $20. At the prevalent exchange rate this comes to around Rs 3000, which means someone is making more than 160 percent on each person fully inoculated.
A single dose of Sputnik-V is costing less than INR734 across the border in India, the TIP letter notes. Taking into consideration the Indian Rupee is double in value to Pakistan Rupee; a single dose should not cost more than Rs1500-2000 in Pakistan. Clearly there is something wrong with the price mechanism at play here and the relevant authorities need to investigate and bring about a correction to make the price more rational.
