by Staff Reporter
Zimbabwe’s all weather friend, China has pledged another batch of 200 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Zimbabwe, Chinese ambassador Guo Shaochun has said.
This will be China's second donation to Zimbabwe after the Asian country recently donated 200 000 Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine to help Zimbabwe fight the deadly pandemic, which has killed more than a thousand people in the country.
Posting on his Twitter handle yesterday, Ambassador Shaochun revealed that he had already shared the good news with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, adding that China was committed to assist Zimbabwe in fighting COVID-19.
“Just now I had an online meeting with H.E. @edmnangagwa, announcing that China has decided to donate another 200 000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Zimbabwe. Facing this global pandemic, what we need is solidarity and action. China is committed to standing with the Zimbabwean people," said Ambassador Shaochun.
The second donation will bring to 400 000, the total number of COVID-19 vaccines that China has donated to Zimbabwe so far. The first delivery of 200 000 vaccines led to the launch of COVID-19 vaccination last Thursday.
In addition to China’s donation, Zimbabwean government has purchased 600 000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from China, which are expected to arrive in the country in March.
The country is also in advanced negotiations to acquire the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, while India has announced that it will also donate 75 000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Zimbabwe.
Meanwhile, frontline workers who include health workers, security forces and journalists among others, are being prioritized for inoculation under the first phase of the vaccination programme and have since started receiving their vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccination is being done on a voluntary basis and in three phases. The government aims to inoculate at least 10 million people out of the country's population to achieve herd immunity.
As of Tuesday, Zimbabwe had recorded 35,910 COVID-19 cases, 32,288 recoveries and 1,448 deaths.
