Zim gets Covid-19 vaccine offers from China and Russia

Russia and China have reportedly approached Zimbabwe about supplying vaccines to tackle its escalating COVID-19 outbreak amid concern about the country’s ability to buy the treatment.

This comes at a time Zimbabwe doctors’ groups say that hospitals are quickly filling up with COVID-19 patients and cite an increase in the number of infected people dying at home, unable to afford the steep fees charged by hospitals.

Portia Manangazira, a director of epidemiology and disease control in the Health Ministry, told a parliamentary committee that China and Russia were among those that had approached Zimbabwe to offer supplies of their COVID-19 vaccines.

“They have near pre-qualified vaccines and those are going to be for sale…they might offer a small donation,” Manangazira said without elaborating.

Zimbabwe has recorded a total 31,320 coronavirus cases and 1,005 deaths – more than half reported since the beginning of this year, data released late on Sunday showed.

The recovery rate has fallen to 71% from 82% on Jan. 1.

Reports say Mnangagwa will on Tuesday meet business leaders who have offered to finance vaccines to help out the cash-strapped government.

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