HARARE: Workers unload COVID-19 vaccines donated by China at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Feb. 15, 2021.

A batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by China arrived in Robert Mugabe International Airport in Zimbabwe's capital here on early Monday morning. The 200,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines are the first batch that Zimbabwe has received as it steps up efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The vaccines will cover all frontline health workers firstly, and the excess will be extended to vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, according to Zimbabwe's vaccine deployment strategy.

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, together with Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun, attended the handover ceremony at the airport.

Chiwenga, who is also the health minister, expressed gratitude to China for donating Covid-19 vaccines to the southern African country, saying the batch of vaccines is a timely donation as Zimbabweans are suffering from the pandemic.

"We receive this vaccine as it gave the hope to the nation that finally we may be on the verge of returning to some semblance of normalcy. That's what we are aiming to achieve," said the senior official.

"The vaccine also offers the possibility that our people who have borne the brunt of the economic ravages of the pandemic might finally turn a new page, following the unfortunate interruption to the economic activities that have been necessitated by the need to contain the spread of the virus," Chiwenga added.

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