Zimbabwe receives first batch of Covid-19 vaccines from China

Harare, Feb 16 : A batch of Covid-19 vaccines donated by China arrived in Robert Mugabe International Airport in Zimbabwe’s capital here.
The 200,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines are the first batch that Zimbabwe has received as it steps up efforts to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.
The vaccines will cover all frontline health workers firstly, and the excess will be extended to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, according to Zimbabwe’s vaccine deployment strategy.
Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, together with Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun, attended the handover ceremony at the airport.
Chiwenga, who is also the health minister, expressed gratitude to China for donating Covid-19 vaccines to the southern African country, saying the batch of vaccines is a timely donation as Zimbabweans are suffering from the pandemic.
Guo, for his part, said the donation represents the essence of the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation and the profound friendship between China and Zimbabwe.