Zimbabwe kicked-off its Covid-19 vaccination programme on Thursday after receiving a donation of 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China earlier in the week.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who doubles as the country's health minister, was the first to receive the jab, at Harare's Wilkins Hospital.
Zimbabwe’s first COVID-19 vaccination ????
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) February 18, 2021
Thank you to Vice President and Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga for showing Zimbabwe that this vaccine is safe for all our people.
This is a historic moment in our country’s fight against this virus. pic.twitter.com/GVOIk1N5MZ
Zimbabwe aims to vaccinate around 60 000 healthcare and other frontline workers in the first round of vaccinations. The elderly and those with chronic conditions will follow.
The southern African country has so far reported more than 35 000 Covid-19 cases and more than 1,400 deaths.
Chiwenga told Parliament on Tuesday that Zimbabwe's vaccination programme, which is free of charge, was targeting at least 10 million people, roughly 60% of the population.