Zimbabwe receives first vaccines from Sinopharm in China

Zimbabwe has received its first COVID-19 vaccines with the arrival early Monday.

HARARE, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has received its first COVID-19 vaccines with the arrival early Monday of an Air Zimbabwe jet carrying 200,000 Sinopharm doses from China. It is one of China’s first shipments of vaccines to Africa, after deliveries to Egypt and Equatorial Guinea.

The first Sinopharm vaccines are a donation from China to the southern African country. President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has purchased an additional 600,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine that are expected to arrive early next month, according to the state media.

Zimbabweán Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was at the Harare airport for the arrival of the vaccines. “It has not been lost on us that in times of need China’s response has been swift,” he said, describing China’s donation as “yet another demonstration of the long bond of friendship and solidarity.”

China’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun said that Zimbabwe is one of the first of 58 countries to receive donations of the Sinopharm vaccine. The Chinese vaccines are just the start of the millions needed for Zimbabwe to vaccinate 10 million people, representing 60% of the country’s population, to achieve herd immunity, say health officials.

Zimbabwe “has also submitted its expression of interest” to be part of an initiative by the African Union to bulk buy vaccines for the continent, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said last week.

ALSO READ

Namibia Closes State-Owned Air Namibia Citing Big Losses

Australia Preparing For Arrival Of First COVID-19 Vaccines

New Zealand City Enters 3-Day Lockdown After Virus Found

Australia Receives Over 142,000 Vaccine Doses

Italy Won’t Open Its Ski Slopes Due To Virus Fears

Brazil Carnival Goes Online With Street Parties Banned