Qin Jian (L), Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, and Somalia's Minister of Health and Human Services Fawziya Abikar Nur sign handover certificates of COVID-19 vaccines donated by China in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, April 11, 2021. (Chinese Embassy in Somalia/Handout via Xinhua)
Somalia's health ministry on Wednesday rolled out doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China to boost the war against COVID-19 pandemic in the Horn of the African nation.
MOGADISHU, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's health ministry on Wednesday rolled out doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by China to boost the war against COVID-19 pandemic in the Horn of the African nation.
The country's deputy minister of health Ahmed Hussein received his first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine during the launch of the exercise in Mogadishu.
Hussein said his country was grateful to China for the support in the fight against COVID-19 in Somalia.
The rollout of the jabs at a hospital in Mogadishu comes after Somalia on April 11 received a batch of Sinopharm vaccine.
Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by China are unloaded in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, April 11, 2021. (Chinese Embassy in Somalia/Handout via Xinhua)
Somalia rolled out its mass vaccination on March 16, having received vaccines through the COVAX facility.
The ministry of health said it is giving priority to the frontline health workers, essential service providers and the elderly.
The country had reported 12,406 cases, including 5,222 recoveries and 618 deaths, as of April 11. ■
