THE People’s Republic of China’s President, XI JINPING has donated 10 million vaccine doses to Zimbabwe in a move that is set to boost vaccine availability and increase the country’s ability to inoculate more people in the face of a raging COVID-19 pandemic.
By Michael Gwarisa
The donated consignment consists of 6 million Sinovac doses and 4 million Sinopharm doses in addition to the 2 million doses Zimbabwe has received from China since February 2021.
In his acceptance speech, Zimbabwe’s President, Emerson Mnangagwa paid tribute to China’s commitment to advancing equal access to health services across the globe.
Government applauds China’s strong support and commitment to ensuring the availability of affordable and effective vaccines not only to our country and the African Continent but to the entire global community. This is highly commendable and represents compassionate leadership, absolute regard for life, dignity and safety, as well as exemplary global solidarity in the face of the unprecedented health challenge wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said President Mnangagwa.
At the Forum on China-Africa cooperation (FOCAC) Ministerial meeting that was held in Senegal in November 2021, President XI pledged to provide one billion vaccines to Africa.
“For us in Zimbabwe, this huge and timely gesture of support comes at a critical phase in our fight against the highly infectious Omicron variant which threatens to erode our impressive gains in the fight against COVID-19, and our strides towards achieving national herd immunity.
“We in Zimbabwe therefore cherish this continued Chinese support in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic, which includes the Chinese grant amounting to US$20 million for the construction of the Natpharm warehouse, the deployment of a Chinese medical team of specialists and the constant supply diagnostics reagents, thermometers and consumables such as latex gloves, among other essential personnel protective equipment (PPE).”
He added that through support from the Chinese government, Zimbabwe has registered commendable progress towards attaining herd immunity.
