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Chinese vaccines reach Zimbabwe as it receives its first Sinopharm doses
- The first shipment of 200,000 vaccines has been donated by China and the African country is buying a further 600,000, set to arrive in March
- Zimbabwe wants 20 million doses for its plan to achieve herd immunity, according to health officials, as Africa fights to secure vaccines
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A plane carrying Zimbabwe’s first coronavirus vaccines, 200,000 doses donated by China, arrived in the capital Harare on Monday.
A further 600,000 doses from China are set to arrive in early March, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said last week. It is unclear how much the cash-strapped southern African nation will pay for the second batch of the vaccines from China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm).
Zimbabwe’s Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, head of the delegation receiving the vaccines that also included the finance minister, said frontline health workers would be the first to be vaccinated.
“This is a timely donation … our people have suffered from this pandemic. The vaccine offers the possibility that our people who have borne the brunt of the economic ravages of the pandemic might finally turn a new page,” Chiwenga said.
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Zimbabwe has set aside US$100 million for vaccine procurement, and is looking to buy 20 million doses in an effort to immunise about 60 per cent of its population and achieve herd immunity.
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