Delayed 500k Sinopharm doses to arrive on Saturday

The 500 000 Sinopharm vaccines which the government announced arrival by 15 June are being expected this Saturday amid reported shortages.

Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa during a post-cabinet briefing last month announced that the country was awaiting an additional 500,000 vaccine doses ordered from Sinopharm to arrive.

Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr. John Mangwiro yesterday confirmed the arrival of the impending vaccine.

“We will be receiving the next batch of 500 000 Sinopharm doses this Saturday. “

“We want to keep the supply of vaccines consistent so we have already made orders for more vaccines,” he said.

However, the country has since been hit by a vaccine shortage.

Citizens are reportedly are finding it hard to access Covid-19 vaccines resulting in long ques and some people being turned away at medical centers.

Zimbabwe received its first batch of 200,000 doses of Sinopharm donated by the Chinese government in February while targeting to inoculate 60% of the population and achieve head immunity.

This month government turned down a donation of three million doses of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. With Authorities saying they are not prepared to deal with the refrigeration requirements and possible side effects.