HEALTH

Algeria to purchase 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine

ALGIERS – Algeria will purchase 30 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from many suppliers, Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform, Pr. Abderrahmane Benbouzid said in an interview to Liberté paper on Wednesday.

The health minister added that two purchase orders of 15 million doses each have been made.

Algeria will receive a batch of 700,000 doses of Sputnik V vaccine, out of the "one million dose contract signed with the Russian manufacturer," announced Benbouzid.

Benbouzid said that supplementary quantities will be also received under the Covax system, adding that a quota of "12 to 16 million doses, mostly AstraZeneca" is planned to arrive.

"We are hoping to receive the quotas very soon. A bacth of 1.4 million doses, part of the Covax syatem is scheduled to arrive in the coming days," he said.

Speaking about the large vaccination campaign which has been recently launched across the country, Pr. Benbouzid said that the authorities "have reinforced the measures following the validation of the Algerian Covid-19 Immunization Strategy."

The minister added that vaccination "does not prevent the spread of the virus", but "the antidote prevents severe forms and hospitalizations,» pointing out that if «60% of the population are vaccinated, 17 million Algerians will be concerned while 70% represent 20 million Algerians."