(Bloomberg) -- Zambia expects delivery of Covid-19 vaccines in April or May after approving participation in the Covax initiative last week and is pursuing other means of procuring the scarce doses, including privately financed purchases, according to Health Minister Jonas Chanda.
The southern African nation, which is lagging behind neighbors such as South Africa, Zimbabwe and Angola in launching a vaccine program, aims to inoculate about 3.7 million people using the Covax doses. Zambia has more than 8.4 million people eligible for shots and has recorded 88,012 cases and 1,200 deaths so far.
“The first pillar under Covax will provide coverage for 20% of our eligible population -- those aged 18 years and older -- while the other two pillars comprising vaccine diplomacy channels as well as government and private-sector financed acquisition will provide coverage for the remainder,” Chanda said in a statement.
Read more: Vaccine Delay Fires Up Zambian Opposition as Election Nears
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