Chinese vaccines reach Zimbabwe as it receives its first Sinopharm doses

Name: Seychelles first African nation to begin Covid-19 vaccinations using Chinese shots
Uploaded: 2021-02-15T08:41:58.000Z
Duration: 1 min 48 s
Description: Seychelles first African nation to begin Covid-19 vaccinations using Chinese shots

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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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has expressed gratitude to China as his country seeks supplies of Covid-19 vaccines. Photo: Xinhua

Reuters

Published: 4:41pm, 15 Feb 2021Updated: 10:11pm, 15 Feb 2021

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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Seychelles first African nation to begin Covid-19 vaccinations using Chinese shots

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.