Covid-19: Malawi short of vaccines

Delays in supplying Malawi with Covid-19 vaccines have caused a shortage in hospitals as many residents wait for a second dose, the health ministry said.

This southern African country, where vaccination began in April, has so far received more than 450,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, mainly thanks to the UN.

He expected about double this before the end of May, four weeks before the scheduled date for the administration of the second dose to the first vaccinated.

But this delivery was delayed due to the halt of exports from the main AstraZeneca vaccine producing country, India, which is facing a new wave of contaminations.

To discover

• Covid-19: vaccination as the only remedy

To read also: Vaccination: adolescents are at the top of the appointments

"

" Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo told AFP, saying the vaccines would arrive in July or August.

Malawi hopes to immunize 60% of its population, or around 11 million people, by the end of the year.

But only 380,600 received at least one dose there, of which 33,200 are now fully vaccinated.

The authorities had cremated in May some 17,000 doses of AstraZeneca, whose expiry date had passed, saying that this destruction was necessary to reassure a population still wary of the vaccine.