ANKARA (AA) – Zambia on Monday got its first batch of 228,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX facility, meant to deliver vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, UNICEF announced.
“Congratulations to Zambia! First 228k #COVID19Vaccine doses arrive in [capital] Lusaka,” Mohamed M. M. Fall, UNICEF’s regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, wrote on Twitter.
“Sincere thanks to all those supporting the COVAX Facility. We must end vaccine nationalism and speed up manufacturing and distribution of COVID19 vaccines to ensure #VaccinesforAfrica,” he added.
The arrival of the vaccine doses came one day after Zambia’s Health Minister Jonas Chanda stressed that the country has cold facilities able to store the COVID-19 vaccine, according to local Lusaka Times news website.
“The Zambian government continues to make necessary strides towards preparedness for COVID-19 vaccines acquisition and deployment,” it quoted Chanda as saying.
Chanda’s remarks were meant to rebuff online and social media claims that it lacks the capacity.
The East African country has so far confirmed 1,227 COVID-19-related deaths and 90,064 infections, according to data compiled by the US’ John Hopkins University.