Mozambique’s Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, has said the East African country could receive up to six million doses of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for its 30 million population.
Speaking to the Mozambican parliament, Tiago said officials would first need to identify which citizens were most in need.
“From the calculations, we have made, Mozambique would receive about six million doses of vaccine for the 20 percent of the current population estimated at 30 million.
“Currently the Ministry of Health is outlining the requirements and conditions for defining the groups to be vaccinated and also the process of the national vaccination strategy,” said Tiago.
Tiago said Mozambique was part of the global initiative, Covax, which will allow the fast and equitable distribution of vaccines by the World Health Organization.
The WHO’s distribution mechanism will ensure that each country receives doses to vaccinate up to 20% of its population.
The minister also urged the public to continue to comply with the prevention measures, even when vaccines are available.
He said the national health system has a sufficient stock of medicines and personal protective equipment for the coming months.
Mozambique recorded its first case – a 75 years old male that recently returned from United Kingdom (UK) – of the global coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.
