Zimbabwe’s presidential spokesman, George Charamba, said Zimbabwe is to receive a further 800 000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from China. He said that this indicated the “excellent relationship” between the two countries, as well as China’s willingness to give Zimbabwe “preferential treatment” amidst a global “stampede” for vaccines.

The BBC reports that Zimbabwe had purchased 600 000 doses of the vaccine from Chinese firm Sinopharm, while 200 000 were donated, bringing to 400 000 the total donated by the Chinese government. Zimbabwe’s vaccination programmed was launched last week, with Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga taking the first shot. Zimbabwe plans to inoculate about 10 million people, with the vaccines  expected to cover front-line workers, the elderly and people with chronic health conditions.

Zimbabwe is also expected to receive over a million doses under the World Health Organization’s Covax scheme. The scheme aims to make vaccines more accessible to poorer countries. The BBC reports that India has indicated that it, too, is to donate 75 000 doses to Zimbabwe.

Umm Muhammed Umar