KARACHI: Mass vaccination programme and proper implementation of the standard operating procedures as described by the federal and provincial governments and health regulatory bodies are essential to prevent the further spread of coronavirus in Pakistan. If we want to resume our daily routine as it used to be before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, then we all must get vaccinations on a topmost priority basis.

Besides, getting the vaccine doses, we also have to create awareness among the masses as some quarters are still reluctant to get vaccinated.

These views were expressed by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Karachi Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi on Thursday. He was addressing at the Karachi University Business School (KUBS) while inaugurating the vaccination centre established for the students enrolled in the department.

He mentioned that it is important to ensure that everyone in society is vaccinated on a priority basis. He said that KU has started the vaccination process at the departmental level to facilitate its students and this campaign has been initiated from the KUBS and soon spread to other departments, centres, and institutions of the University of Karachi.

The Director Health Karachi Dr Akram Sultan, District Health Officer East Dr Ashfaq, Dr Qadeer Muhammad Ali, Dr Akmal Waheed and the Chairman KUBS Dr Danish Ahmed Siddiqui and others were also present on this occasion.

The KU VC Professor Dr Khalid Iraqi further said that he is very grateful to the provincial government for setting up a vaccination center at the Center for Bioequivalence Studies and Clinical Research, University of Karachi for the convenience of its employees, their families, and students.

"I am happy to say that about 95 percent of teachers and administrative staff of the varsity have been vaccinated till to date." He informed that earlier the University of Karachi was providing facilities to students, employees, and their families as well as other citizens at the CBSCR Research Institute, but after the recent Covid-19 wave and strict implementation of the government's SOPs during the previous lockdown, the vaccination process was limited to varsity's employees only, but now for the convenience of its students, the process of vaccination has been started at the departmental level. Meanwhile, the Director Health Karachi Dr Akram Sultan said that earlier one team was working at the University of Karachi but now three teams have been formed and a number of staff has also been increased to facilitate the KU's students.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021