Syria’s authorities has obtained its first supply of Covid-19 vaccines by means of the worldwide COVAX initiative, with virtually 200,000 doses of the AstraZeneca shot, U.N officers mentioned on Thursday.
A joint assertion by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the GAVI vaccine alliance mentioned the supply was “critical and timely” and would assist well being employees “to continue delivering life-saving services in an already exhausted health system as a result of the decade-long war.”
Another 53,800 vaccines have been delivered to the opposition-held north-west, which the assertion mentioned was an space that has seen large-scale displacement after main hostilities final yr.
The assertion mentioned extra deliveries have been deliberate in coming weeks and months.
Akjemal Magtymova, head of the WHO’s Syria mission, advised Syrian well being officers and UN companions at a ceremony on the arrival of the cargo in Damascus there have been challenges head however the nation had a powerful observe document in vaccination programmes.
Magtymova mentioned final month a phased rollout aimed to inoculate practically 20% of Syria’s inhabitants by the tip of the yr, or virtually 5 million individuals in each government-held areas and the northeast and northwest.
The Damascus authorities’s nationwide programme throughout state-run territory, the place most of the nation’s practically 20 million inhabitants stay, will deploy dozens of groups throughout 76 hospitals with over 300 cell items to entry onerous to succeed in areas.
Western NGOs say that other than the logistics challenges of arranging vaccinations throughout fight frontlines, Syria faces the extra hurdle of worldwide monetary sanctions.
Syria was onerous hit by the pandemic final yr throughout two spikes in infections in August and December, and well being employees cite an increase in circumstances since February.
Syria has recorded 51,580 circumstances of Covid-19, however the precise quantity is probably going a lot increased on account of restricted testing provides, U.N. officers says.
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