Kurdistan’s receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from China

Shafaq News/ Kurdistan received its first doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China.

“Today, we receive our first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from China, We thanked and appreciated China for supporting the Kurdish people”, Kurdish Minister of Health, Dr. Saman Al-Barzanji said during a ceremony to receive the consignment in the presence of the Chinese Consul in the Region, Ni Ruchi.

Al-Barzanji said Kurdistan is negotiating with several international companies to buy vaccines after KRG allocated a budget for this reason.

For his Part, the Chinese Consul said his Country has helped the Region in combating the pandemic from the beginning by providing equipment and support.

He added that this batch is for those working on frontlines but later, vaccines will be secured for all groups by priority.

“The batch is to show good friendship,” he added.

Earlier today, Iraq also received its first 50,000 doses of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China as the country is struggling to cope with a new surge of the disease.

An Iraqi military transport plane carrying the first batch of the vaccines from China landed at Baghdad International Airport late on Monday.

The doses will be offered to health workers, elderly people and members of the security forces first, the Iraqi health ministry said in a statement.