Daily Times

Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan’s (DRAP) Pakistan National Pharmacovigilance Centre (PNPC) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) have planned to arrange a day-long training on ‘reporting of Covid-19 vaccine adverse events’ here on Monday.

This training session is being arranged for capacity building of focal persons on adverse events following Corona vaccine from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

In Pakistan three Corona vaccines have been given emergency permission and for which 582 emergency vaccination centers have been established. In these centers physicians, pharmacists, nurses and other paramedics will be vaccinated.

After giving vaccines to the healthcare professionals, it is the recommendation of WHO and regulatory body that after giving vaccine, pharma company is bound to report adverse event if any person has suffered.

Similarly, along with efficacy of vaccine, it must be safe and any untoward side effects may be reported to Division of Pharmacy Services, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

These 582 centers will remain vigilant to report any adverse event to DHO office and will forward to Expanded Programme on Immunization’s (EPI) Provincial focal person and National EPI focal person of Pharmacovigilance.

National EPI will officially submit report of adverse events if occur to Pakistan National Pharmacovigilance Centre, DRAP while National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) will also collect information on adverse effects on Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) and collect at National Immunization Management System (NIMS) database .

Senior Director DRAP Dr Abdur Rashid who received training from various countries will deliver lectures.

Organizers of the event expressed the hope that this day-long training will help and support the provinces to report adverse events of Corona vaccine. As per plan, adverse events will be reported daily, weekly and monthly depending upon the severity of adverse events.

Representatives from WHO Country office and CEO DRAP will also join the training session.