ISLAMABAD: The Eco­nomic Coordination Com­mittee (ECC) of the cabinet on Thursday approved a supplementary grant of Rs45 billion for defence and a 122 per cent increase in the maximum retail price (MRP) of anti-rabies vaccines for public hospitals.

The ECC meeting, chai­red by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, also approved a special allowance equivalent to 20 daily allowances for Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) personnel and another supplementary grant for the country’s participation in the upcoming UN climate cha­nge conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan.

The meeting was also attended by ministers for industries and power, and the minister of state for revenue.

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regu­lations and Coordination briefed the ECC on the shortage of anti-rabies vaccines at the Federal General Hospital Chak Shahzad in Islamabad. The vaccine, produced by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, was previously priced at Rs891.65.

Click to see more

However, in the market, the WHO-approved rabies vaccine was sold at Rs2,126.40 and the non-WHO-approved vaccine at Rs1,266.14. To address this, the ECC approved a proposal to increase the MRP of NIH-produced rabies vaccine to Rs1,980 per vial (0.5ml per dose), allowing the institute to cover the cost of imported materials and ensure a sufficient supply for public hospitals.

The ECC also approved a proposal to increase the rate of special allowance (equal to 20 daily allowances) for ANF employees on a par with other federal law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

The meeting was told that the salaries of ANF employees were considerably low compared to employees of other LEAs despite undertaking similar work and encountering similar dangers and hazards peculiar to their job of drug prevention and border patrol. The increased allowance, amounting to Rs264.744 million, will be accommodated in the current fiscal year’s budget.

The ECC also approved a proposal submitted by the defence division for a supplementary grant of Rs45bn for various already approved projects of defence services for the current fiscal year, an official statement said.

This is on top of about Rs60bn supplementary grants approved a few weeks ago for Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, over and above the annual allocation for defence approved as part of the federal budget in the last week of June.

The ECC also approved a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination for a grant of Rs150m to meet the requirements of the COP29 to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from Nov 11-22.

The meeting was told that Pakistan, being highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, was actively engaged in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and COP29 would provide Pakistan with an opportunity to showcase its domestic climate actions, such as renewable energy projects, afforestation initiatives, and disaster risk reduction measures by setting up a Pakistan Pavilion at the event.

The meeting also took up a proposal of the Ministry of Interprovincial Coordination for a grant of Rs400m for holding the 14th edition of the South Asian Games in Pakistan in April next year.

However, the ECC decided to defer the approval, requesting the ministry to resubmit the proposal with a more holistic plan, including proper cost estimates and funding strategies through sponsorships, commercial advertising and government support.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2024