ISLAMABAD: The news of the closure of the main Covid-19 vaccination centre in F-9 Park came as a shock for citizens of the federal capital on Wednesday as they had not been intimated beforehand about the decision.

On the other hand, with the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) formally announcing that the Omicron-affected fifth wave of coronavirus is spreading, Islamabad and Rawalpindi district witnessed an upsurge in cases, with 80 being reported in the last 24 hours. As many as 23 of the newly-detected patients were diagnosed with the Omicron variant. Positivity ratio in both districts was recorded at 1.07 per cent and 1.4pc.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Health Dr Faisal Sultan said it was purely an administrative decision and people should not link it with controversy.

According to a letter of Ministry of National Health Services (NHS): “District Health Officer (DHO) is requested to implement the aforesaid decision of the authority and a compliance report may be furnished to this ministry,” the letter signed by Dr Sehar Alamgir states.

SAPM says closure purely administrative decision; 23 diagnosed with Omicron variant

Mohammad Naeem, a resident of the city went to the centre for vaccination but was astonished to find the centre closed.

“I had also decided to get a booster shot as NCOC has been advising people to get booster shots but returned home. It is unfortunate that no one informed citizens before closing the centre,” he said.

Another resident Mohammad Bilal said the centre was the only place where people were being inoculated without having to wait. An official of NHS, requesting not to be quoted, said some influential people were not comfortable with the class of people that used to visit it daily.

“A large number of people who come to the MVC belong to lower and lower middle class and they stare at women and litter. Bureaucrats were not happy with the situation and were of the view that MVC centre should not be in the park,” he added.

“However, fact is that there were around 200 employees working there. There was ample space for parking and closure of the centre will overburden all other centres of the city. We have just started facility of booster shots for people over 30 and may further lower the age bracket so I believe that we needed the centre,” he said.

Dr Zaeem Zia informed residents of the city in a tweet that they should now visit Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Polyclinic, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital besides others for vaccination.

He said there were a number of vaccination centres in the city, adding teams will be transported to them.

Dr Sultan said people should not take closing of the centre in F-9 Park as a mysterious decision as 77pc residents of the city were already vaccinated and mobile vaccination teams were also doing their jobs.

“The building of the F-9 Park was not owned by the health ministry and there was no need to maintain such a large vaccination centre. One fourth of the population, which is yet to be vaccinated, seemed to be hesitating and we have been considering reaching them through mobile teams. We have a number of other centres across the city and they will easily sustain the load of people,” he said.

“It is not correct information that the F-9 Park centre was closed because of pressure of those who go there for walks,” he said.

In Rawalpindi district, 1,618 samples were collected out of which 1,595 were declared negative.

There are 116 active patients in the district; 10 patients arrived from city areas and seven arrived from cantonment areas while three patients arrived from Gujar Khan, two from Taxila and one patient from Chakwal.

Five patients are admitted at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, nine at Fauji Foundation Hospital and 11 at Rawalpindi Institute of Urology.

Two patients are on ventilators in Rawalpindi, 13 are on oxygen support and 10 are stable.

According to administration officials, 15 cases were reported in the age group of 40-49, followed by 13 in 30-39, eight in 50-59, six 20-29, four each in 10-19, 60-69 and 70-79 and three in 0-9. Seven cases were reported from Lohi Bher, followed by six from G-9, four from G-10, three each from F-7, F-11, G-5 and G-14, two each from F-10, E-11, F-6, F-8, Khanna, and Sihala, and one each from Rawat, I-8, D-12, I-9, I-10, Tarlai, Kurri, G-7 and G-15, they said, adding that addresses of seven cases were not known.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2022