Zimbabwe determined to emerge with greater capabilities after the pandemic - Mnangagwa

Zimbabwe is determined to emerge out of the Covid-19 pandemic with greater capability to play a more effective role towards peace, Harmony and prosperity within the comity of nations, President Mnangagwa has said.

President Mnangagwa made the remarks whilst presenting his acceptance statement at the handover ceremony of the second batch of Chinese Covid19 vaccines that arrived at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare this morning. He also  said he was confident that the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme would soon attain the national herd immunity.

Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Zimbabwe Gao Shaochun was also at the event.

President Mnangagwa was accompanied by Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care General (Rtd) Dr. C.D.G.N. Chiwenga, Cabinet Ministers and Senior Government Officials.

In efforts to curb the spread of the Covid19 pandemic, Zimbabwe last month received the first batch of 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China and today received the second batch of 200 000 vaccines donated to Zimbabwe. A consignment of 200 000 vaccine doses procured by Zimbabwe from Sinovac as well as 1 200 000 medical consumables procured from Sinopharm were also received today.

President Mnangagwa said, "The National COVID-19 Vaccination Programme will further guarantee a Zimbabwe that continues on its course to achieve Vision 2030. We are determined to emerge out of this pandemic with greater capability to play a more effective role towards peace, harmony and prosperity within the comity of nations.

My administration is confident that this vaccination intervention will greatly contribute to our country's realisation of herd immunity. We are making steady progress in the fight against the pandemic and in the on-going National COVID-19 Vaccination Roll-out Programme," said the President.

The First Secretary went on to say that China's gesture testified the shared desire to enhance cooperation in times of distress.

"The People's Republic of China's unparalleled readiness to avail access to the vaccines for commercial procurement testifies to our shared and mutual desire to continue enhancing cooperation particularly in these times of distress and competition for resources," he said.