S. Sudan to receive 100,000 doses of Chinese-made coronavirus vaccine

JUBA – South Sudan is expected to receive 100,000 Sinopharm doses from the Chinese government to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to Sudans Post on Friday, deputy minister of foreign affairs Deng Dau Deng said the Chinese government has donated 100,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines to the world’s youngest country.

“China has donated 100,000 doses of Sinopharm and the process of transporting them to South Sudan is underway between our Ministry of Health and that of China,” Deng said.

Deng disclosed that two Ministries of Health are finalizing all administrative processes and requisite for shipment of China’s Sinopharm vaccines to the country.

“As soon as the South Sudan Ministry of Health, department Extended Program and Immunization complete all the procedures, then the doses will be transported to South Sudan,” he said.

“China has already approved the doses but is our department of Immunization which is checking on the doses such as expiry date before the vaccine can be transported to the country,” he added.

He said vaccines will help the country scale up the fight against the coronavirus.

South Sudan has vaccinated 56,989 people since the country launched its vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in the capital Juba on April 6 after receiving 132,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility on March 25 this year.

The country has so far reported 11,049 infections and 118 deaths.