Zimbabwe Roll Out COVID-19 Vaccines From China; Target 10 Million Citizens

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Zimbabwe kick-started the Covid-19 vaccination programme after receiving a donation of 200 000 shots of the Sinopharm vaccine from China.

Vice President Costantino Chiwenga who is also Health Minister volunteered to be the first citizen to be jabbed.

Zimbabwe hopes to vaccinate about 10 million citizens using donated doses from China as well as others being acquired from other countries.

Chiwenga was jabbed publicly at Wilkins Hospital in the capital, courting praises from President Mnangagwa.

“Thank you Vice President and Health Minister Costantino Chiwenga for showing Zimbabwe that the vaccine is safe for all our people. This is a historic moment in our country’s fight against this virus,” said Mnangagwa.

There has been speculation of fear among citizen who have been saying the vaccine is not safe.

Zimbabwe targets to start with frontline workers in the first phase with the second phase targeting college and university lecturers and school teachers while the rest of the population will be catered for in the third phase.

As at Wednesday, Zimbabwe had 35, 423 confirmed cases, including 31 615 recoveries and 1 418 deaths.

About half a dozen ministers have died due to the virus.