Uzbekistan will accept the delivery of the first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines as part of the COVAX initiative between March 15-20, said the Deputy Minister of Health/Head of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service, Bakhodir Yusupaliev at a press conference on Wednesday.
According to him, the batch will include 660 thousand doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII). Uzbekistan has already received 660,000 syringes and containers for their safe disposal.
In addition, negotiations are underway to purchase 1 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. "A deal has been developed, which is currently being studied by the Russian authorities," he added.
, Also, 1 million doses of the Chinese vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC 2001 will also be delivered to Uzbekistan in March.
The Deputy Minister of Health said that talks are ongoing for purchase of vaccines with 12 companies.
To vaccinate the population, 3168 vaccination points and over 860 mobile teams have already been set up. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) donated 206 minivans and 17 refrigerated trucks to the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan to preserve the quality of vaccines and transport them safely.
6 billion soums have been contributed for the purchase of special vaccination syringes. More than 10 thousand vaccinators, visiting nurses, as well as over 33 thousand doctors are preparing for mass vaccination.
Bakhodir Yusupaliev said that over 80 thousand coronavirus cases were registered in Uzbekistan, 99% of patients recovered, 622 people died. Every day, 20-40 cases of COVID-19 are detected in the country, he said.
