Zimbabwe has received its first batch of coronavirus vaccines with the arrival early Monday of an Air Zimbabwe jet carrying 200 000 Sinopharm doses donated by the Chinese government.
It is one of China’s first shipments of vaccines to Africa, after deliveries to Egypt and Equatorial Guinea.
The vaccines were received at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President and Health and Child Care Minister Constantino Chiwenga and the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun.
In a post on his social media channels on Monday, President Mnangagwa said the vaccination of the population will put the country’s economy on a path to recovery.
He said:
The first batch of vaccines for Zimbabwe has been successfully delivered. We start vaccinating Zimbabweans this week!
The faster our country is protected against this virus, the faster Zimbabwe’s economy can flourish.
God bless you all, God bless Zimbabwe!
